m
VOL. III.
OXFORD, N. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1877
NO. 21
KOOm AT THE TOP.
Do you follow tlie plough as a matter
of choice ?
Do YOU sow ? Do you reap t Do you
mow 1
When the hai‘YeSt=tnne comes, does it
make you rejoice 1
Are yoTi blest With rewartls as you go ?
Do you often say fail when your neigh
bors succeed 'i
Are you Ctowded by failures ^ Then
stop.
Study why thus it is. To climb high
is your need.
Tliere Is iileuty of room at the toil.
Do you stand at the forge from the
morn till the night,
And give shape to the sharp ringing
steel 1
Does the world, at all times, seem to
be with you right f
Or the pangs of grim want do you feel ?
Your profession is good; the lault is
in you.
If it seems theres no place for your
shop“
If others climb high, you must higher
aim, too.
There is plenty of room at the tflli.
Do you move in the circles of science
or art ?
Do positions of honor you fill ?
Do the noblest of .scliools train your
mind and your heart
To do your life calling with skill 1
Do the good and the wise seek to make
you their guest ?
Or do they, from their lists, your name
drop 1
CUmb high, if you want the position
that’s best^
There is plenty of room at the top.
If you toil with your hands, with your
mind, with your heart,
Jf you strive for a iiaino tliat ■will live,
You must bend to the worli. You
must choose the good part.
Tlie best aims a exironot give.
Live a life that is truO) leave all gross-
iiess below,
On the rounds of life’s ladder ne\n-
fttop, , . ^ ,
Heaven’s bells ring abo^c jou, and
serajiii’s feet glow^
Tliere is gdory undiinmiMl at the top;
— i'o iith'a Compan ion
iPLAMTS LSVliVx OB S1.I1EP-
lA’O HOOIVIa.
Growing plants, vegetation in
general, is the meuns nature em
ploys to purify the atmosphere ;
the gases which are the products
of respiration, and of the decom
position of organic matter, either
Vegetable or animal, are assimil
ated by the growing plant, or
converted into its tissues. In the
wondei'ous laboratory of nature
these processes are constantly in
operation, so that all organic
substances in their turn, togetlier
with all the effete products of an
imal life, serve the’ purpose of
sustaining vegetation. The pro
cess of this assimilation of matter
or food in plants is a direct result
of the action of sun-light, though,
there is reason to believe, the
process is not wholly intermitted
during the night, but that the
peculiar action induced in the
plant by the direct sunlight is
continued with adiminishing force
in the hours of ordinary darkness;
probably but little new matter is
received into the plant in the
night, but the process of assimi
lation is in completion. The
facts and experiments on which
these deductions are made could
be given in detail, but those cu
rious in this matter we would re
fer to the writings of vegetable
physiologists.
So far, then, as growing plants
are concerned, we have a clear
case, and we can say positively
that they are not only' not injuri
ous, but actually' beneficial. Tliere
is, however, another view to take
of the subject, and that is, in
regard to blooming plants. The
perfume of some flowers is not
only'disagreeable to some persons,
but, when they' are exposed to
them for some length of time,
affects them with headache, nau
sea and febrile symptoms, more
or less aggravated—especially in
this case with those peculiarly
heavy odors, given off by some
varieties of Hyacinths, Tuberoses,
Jasmines, Orange blossoms, and
some other kinds. Of these
eftects there is no question, and
ill such plants should be avoided
by those sensitive to them, and,
probably', it would be well foi any'
one not to liave many siicli plants
in a sleeping room, but the cau
tion is scarcely necessary, for, it
is seldom that any great amount
of bloom is attained in house-
plants in the Winter. Again, the
ventilation that is necessary, and
that in every well regulated room
is given, secures from all harm,
in ordinary practice, from the
odors of tlie flowers.
A bouquet left standing in the
same water for several day's, as
is sometimes allowed, may be
come quite offensive, but this
case of decaying vegetable matter
is far different from living jilants.
A liglit burning in a room, or a
small animal, like a cat, or a dog
occupving it, will vitiate and des
trov the atmosphere to a very'
sensible extent, but who object.s
to their presence on this account!
the least care in ventilation cor
rects it all. In this connection
we niay' well requote an extract
from a note we published last
Year from the editor of one ol our
medical Journals. He says:
“I think plants could bo used
as a sort of vitaometer. Tlie
value ol plants in a health point
of view is not yet appreciated as
it will be. A room where plants
do well makes a good living room.
The three sources of ill health in
in-door life, in Winter in particu
lar, are, first, super-heated air;
second, too dry air; and third, an
air loaded with carbonic acid.
Regulate the first two conditions
THE LAKE OF GENEVA.
Those who have traveled along
Lake Leman have often been stmek
with the marvellous transparency of
the clear, bluishly-tiiited water. But
they would certainly have imagined
that it must be at least traiispiarent in
summer, when it has a smaller qiiail-
tity of muddy water thrown into it,
than during winter. M. Forel, who
has lately paid considerable attention
to the subject, assures us that this is
not so. On the contrary, he explained
recently' to the French Academy' that
the water is much more trausiiarent
in winter than in summer, but the
explanation is utterly' different from
anything we should have been disposed
to imagine. It is not due to the
prevalence of muddy particles at one
time of the year more than at
another, as the water appears to be
always eipially lucid. But in summer,
owing to the higher temperature, the
water is not uniformly heated, and
there are thus layers formed of dift'orent
densities. In the winter, on the
other hand, the temperature is lower,
of course, but then it is uniform
throughout, and thus tlie observation
of objects at the bottom is not so much
interruiited.—Selected.
EETHEK'S I'ISAVEK FOU MEL-
ANCTHON.
SO plants will live and thrive, and
thev will rapidly' absorb the acid.
Under our plant stand, my wife
has a long tray' of ivater, which
keeps the air moist by evapora
tion, absorbes the carbonic acid,
and our plants are the wonder of
my patients, and the health of
our rooms. I can thus point
many a lesson in hy'giene.”
In conclusion then, only dis
criminating against those plants,
the odors of which we know to be
disagreeable or injurious to us,
we can safely say that plants in
living or sleeping rooms are
beneficial in purifying the atmos
phere, and that a room with more
or less of thrifty, growing plants
has not only' an air of refinement,
blit literally a purer air than
without them—School Journal.
On a certain occasion a message
was sent to Luther to inform him
that Melancthon lay dying. He
at once hastened to his sick bed,
and found him presenting the
usual premonitory symptoms of
deatn. He mournfully bent over
him, and sobbing, gave utterance
to a sorrowful exclamation. It
oused Melancthon from his stupor.
He looked in the face of Luther
and said—“0 Luther! is this you!
Why don’t you lot me depart in
peace!” “We can’t spare yon
yet, Fliillip,’' was the reply ; and
turning round he threw himself
upon his knees, and wrestled
with God for his recovery', for
upwards of an hour. He went
from his knees to the bed and
took his friend by' the hand.
Again he said, “Dear Luther,
why don’t you let me depart in
peace!” “No, no, Philip I we
can’t spare yon y'et,” was the
reply. He then ordered some
soup ; and, when pressed to take
it, Melancthon declined, again
saying, “Dear Luther, will y'ou
not let me go home and be at
rest!” “We cannot spare you
yet, Philip,” was the reply. He
then added, “Philip, take this
soup, or I will excommunicate
you.” He took the soup. He
commenced to grow better. He
soon regained bis wonted
health, and labored years after
wards in the cause of the great
Reformation ; and when Luther
returned home, he said to his
wife wltli joy, “God gave me my'
brother Melancthon back in direct
answer to my prayers.”—Evan
gelical Messenger.
The Teacher ShouUl be a Student.
The teacher should be a student—
and every real teacher i.s. The best
teachers are always studying. And
why not ? If it is good for the pupil
it is good for the teacher. The same
reasoning will work both ways. The
fact is that some teachers, to their
shame bo it said, touch no book but
the one they hold “to licar lessons”
from. The reason they give is tliat
they know all they are reiiuired to
teach, and as for ai^'thiiig further,
why they “don’t intend to teach much
longer.” It is “only the fall bucket
that spills ovei'.” The teacher .should
present the old facts this year with a
fresh spring' dress on and they will
look brighter and go off better.
And this leads to a subject cognale
to the above. A certain scliool prin
cipal when aske.l what was the greati st
obstacle in the way of progress replied
“Crochet!” “What,” said we? and
he rejilied “this everlasting Crochet.”
It is a fad, tliat many female teachers
busy their fingers (and those carry the
mind with them) over some piece of
work with a perseverence worthy of a
better cause. Some crochet on their
way to school, in the school till a bell
rings, relnctently lay it to hear the
Bible read, take it n;) at recess,’ at
noon, as soon as school is out, all the
evening—in fact every spare moment'
They attend a teacher’s conference
with this objectionable work.—Xow it
is not an attack on crochet that is here
intended. Such an occupation too
.frequently stands in the direct path to
any improvement. The true teacher
deals with thoughts, with books, and
hence finds little time to loop one cot
ton thread through another endlessly
and reiiiorsely on.—School Journal.
THE EONGEST DAI'S.
At London, England, Bremen, and
Prussia, the longest day has sixteen
and a half hours.
At Stockholm, in Sweden, the long
est day has eighteen and a half hours.
At Hamburg, Germany, and Dan tzi g,
Prussia, the longest day has seventeen
hours, and the shortest seven hours.
At St. Petersburg, in Eussia, and
Tobolsk, Siberia, the longest day has
nineteen hours, and the shortest five
hours.
At Tornea, in Finland, the. longest
day has twenty-one and a half hours,
and the shorte.st two and a half hours.
At Wardnuys, in Norway, the day
is from May 21st to July 2d w'ithout
interruption ; and at Spitzbergeu the
longest day is three and a half hours.
—Selected.
A French chemist adverti.sed a
cosmetic—“the balm of a thou
sand flowers.” It finally got
him into the court, charged with
swindling tlie purchaser because
it would be impossible to collect
and combine the order of “one
thousand flowers.” But, when
questioned by the lawyers, the
witty Frenchman, with a, ready
smile, put them down with the
reply “Honey,” which was one
of the ingredients of the “balm.”
—What is the difference between a
cloud and a beaten child ?—One pours
with rain and the other roars with
pain.
—What is the difference betweu a
crockery dealer and a cabinet-maker ?
One sells tea-sets and the other sells
settees.
—Why is either House of Congress
like a person afflicted with the inflii-
"eiiza.^—Somestimes the ayes (eyes)
have it and sometimes the noes (nose).
“Ten Cents on the dollak.”—
Joseph Cook, in one of his lectures in
Boston, told the following story, which
has a keen point in it: “Not long ago
I heard of a Church member who had
failed four times, and paid only ten
cents on the dollar, and who had three
times assigned his property to rela
tives in an infamous manner. He was
making a speech in, a summer evening
devotional gathering, and the shutteri
of the basement of the eliureh were
open, and quick, sharp boj'S of the
Common were within hearing. This
religious man was saying:—‘I am of the
opinion that our congregation should
all alone maintain a missionary
some, foreign shore. For such a pur
pose I will myself give one hundred
dollars,’ ‘Ten cents on the dollar
said a boy outside.’
—Mrs. Partington says that just be
fore the late war circumstances were
seen round the moon nightly, shootin,
stars perambulated the earth, the desk
of the sun was covered with black
spots of ink, and comics swept the
horizon with their operatic tales. Ev.
erybody said that it prolligated war
aud siu’e enough war did come.
THE FEBEie SCHOOE IN ITS
KEEATION TO THE NEGKO."
This is a very powerfully writ
ten pamphlet by “ Civis.” The
writer is understood to be a distin
guished professor in a Virginian
College. The style is wonder
fully strong, clear, trenchant and
incisive. The pamphlet is a most
igorous attack upon the whole
system and theory of “free
schools;” and, whatever may be
tliouglit of the general views of
the author, liis composition is so
excellent as to insure the atten
tion and to challenge the admir
ation of all discerning and culti
vated readers.
Here is a well-told anecdote,
which we have not seen else
where :
During the late war, Stone
wall Jackson came at nightfall to
.. swollen stream. A supreme
necessity required that he should
cross it before day. He called
his engineers to him and explain
ed the situation. He also sent
for a man who sustained an
inomalous relation to the army,
and whose sterling worth and
strong common sense had fre
quently attracted the general’s
notice.
What can you do for me !”
said Jackson. “Let me pick a
hundred men, and I think I can
3ut you over,” said our hero.
The detail was granted, and be
fore day he returned to old
Stonewall “ Ginral, the bridge
ar built; your army can pass
over. Your drawin’ men will
show you their picters in the
morning.’”
The Civis comments trench
antly :
And yet, by the modern test,
this man,” who built the bridge
before professional engineers had
completed their plans and speci
fications, was an ignorant man.
If, indeed, he was, then the fa
miliar line is true in a sense
which the poet never intended :
Where igiioraace is bliss, ’tis folly to b»
wise.”
Of course many readers will
not agree with the main positions
taken and defended by Civis;
but, whatever their views on the
general subject of public schools,
intelligent readers can scarcely
fail to be interested in seeing
what can be said by an exceed
ingly able writer, and on a sub
ject which he has evidently stud-
ied with care, and on which he
presents his matured and honest
opinions.—Dr. J. C. liideii.
—A short time ago a son of
William Tyler, London, played
truant, and did not return home
in the evening. Dilligent search
was made for him all night, but
he could not he found. In the
morning his body was found be
side the railroad track, about a
mile from the city, the neck be
ing broken. He had been steal,
ing a ride and when jumping off
the cars had met his death. He
was not killed because he was
playing truant, hut if he had not
played truant ho would uot have
been killed.
—AYliat is the difference between a
timiiel and a speaking-trumpet f—One
is hollowed out and the other hollowed
in.