SOLON ROBINSON, 1842 311 



And finally, about those paper matches, I shall illus- 

 trate in my own way. "Now I du wonder what them 'ere 

 little bits of twisted paper are for, that I always see 

 stuck up in a tumbler on Mrs. R.'s mantle shelf." "Well 

 now, I can't say exactly, but I guess as how they're jist 

 for ornament, for you see a whole parcel of shells there 

 too, not a bit of use in the world." "Why now you're 

 both wrong. I was just as much puzzled as you till I 

 was there t'other night, when I went to snuff the candle 

 with them awkward iron things, and not being used to 

 'em I put it out. So I went to work to light it, and all 

 I could do I could hardly get a coal out of that plaguey 

 stove, and I do wonder what folks keep stoves for, the 

 pesky things. So after I had e'en-a-most burnt myself 

 up, and almost melted away the candle, and dropt a right 

 smart chance of grease, one of the little girls came in, 

 and dear me, says she. Mrs. Blowhard, says she, why 

 did'nt you take a match; and with that she whip'd out 

 one of them little twisted papers, and would you believe 

 it, she lighted the candle in less than no time. And so 

 you see, that's jist what they are for, and I declare now 

 if they an't the handiest things I ever did see, and I 

 have told my old man that he must take a newspaper, 

 if for nothing else they'll be so nice to make matches of." 



Facts are stubborn things, but not half so stubborn 

 as those who persist in burning their fingers at the 

 "pesky stove," and their noses over a coal, and their 

 temper over the "right smart chance of grease spots," 

 when it would be so easy to have a few little twisted 

 pieces of paper stuck in a tumbler on the mantle shelf, 

 notwithstanding Mrs. Blowhard and her gossips might 

 think they were "more for ornament than use." 



These are small matters, you may say, but recollect 

 that the comforts of life are made up of small matters. 



Solon Robinson. 1 

 (To be continued) 



1 The editor added the following "Note. — We disclaim the author- 

 ship of the heading of this communication, Mr. R.'s 'oddity,' it 



22—50109 



