THE "POWERS" THAT BE. 199 



just like Columbus, as discovered America. You 

 ought to take a pattern out, Sir." * 



"Did Columbus take out a patent, Greening?" 

 " Oh my ! that 's capital ! a pattern for America ! 

 Well, that is a good un, however : no, no, I guess 

 his diskivery was a little too big for a pattern 

 ' Wide as a world and broad as 'umanity,' as our 

 parson says No, no! he died quite the wrong side 



* We cannot but fancy that a colloquy with Mr. Greening 

 on the subject of the steam digger would have made him a 

 more attentive listener. Of all opiates to shut up the drowsy 

 faculties of a laboring man, and the farm laborer beyond any 

 other that of reading is the most effectual, even on an ordi- 

 narily interesting subject. Wo blame the farmer for not being 

 a reader. He can read more than ho does, in a great majority 

 of cases. He can always read enough to suggest abundant 

 thoughts during his hours of labor; but the man who toils 

 in the field early and late, has little inclination to read during 

 his hours of rest. Read, every one should, and he should 

 have set apart the proper time and seasons for it. A laboring 

 man can think as well as another, and no reading is worth 

 much without thought to follow and impress it upon the 

 mind. Burns "crooned" over his songs and his letters as he 

 followed the plow during the day, suggested in part, perhaps, 

 by what he had read the previous evening; and probably 

 many of the brightest and most valuable thoughts and inven- 

 tions ever given to the world have been elaborated amid the 

 toils of the work-shop, or the farm. ED. 



