262 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
'MANY A SLIP BETWEEN 
[COPTBIGHT SECURED.] 
CTTP AND LI 
P , " — Drawn and Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
Not quite, Mr. Reynard ! Ton have only a few feathers 
for dinner, instead of the fine fat duck you were counting 
on, and now the "bird has the use of his wings, he*s out 
of danger from your sharp teeth. The old story of count- 
ing chickens "before they are hatched is here repeated, 
with the addition that it's not always safe to count upon 
them even after they are full feathered. " Many a slip 
between cup and lip," should also he remembered. "We 
know many men who were as rich over their oil-wells as 
this fox over his duck — until their visions suddenly flew 
away, because the oil wouldn't flow, and they have now 
only a few scraps of paper called "Certificates of Stock," 
worth about as much as so many ducks' feathers. Not a 
few of our young, inexperienced friends have other equally 
valuable documents, — "tickets" for some "Grand Pre- 
sentation" or "Distribution, " which flew away, or rather 
the managers did, just before the " prizes " were distrib- 
uted. Perhaps a better way to state it would be, the 
foxy managers pounced upon these silly ducks, tore out a 
few greenbacks from their pockets, and then let them go. 
If they will imitate the duck, and keep out of the cun- 
ning sharpers' way hereafter, it will he well. 
Independence B>ay. 
Pop ! fizz ! snap ! bang ! hurrah I Hail Columbia I \ \ 
That's about the way the boys' thoughts run now, and in 
a few days they will let them out from fire-crackers, pis- 
tols, cannon, and every thing that can make a noise, in- 
cluding their own throats for the shouting chorus. It is 
well to celebrate the Nation's birthday. People differ as 
to the best way of doing it. Young folks who don't 
know what weak nerves are, believe in loud noises ; per- 
haps it is well that they do. Men and women are so full 
of thoughts about work an9 tittStiiiess, they tnj£ftt fot.ge.fc 
to observe our Great Anniversary, if the children did not 
disturb their quiet. "We believe this jubilee had great 
effect in keeping patriotism alive during the eighty years 
of prevailing peace following the Revolution. The Fourth 
of July orations, the display of the Stars and Stripes, and 
the general waking up of recollections of the past, and 
prophecies of the future, aroused the whole people once 
a year at least. Some day, perhaps five hundred years or 
more hence, when people have forgotten all about war, 
there will be less powder burning in celebrating such oc- 
casions. That will be when everybody knows how to 
keep up his own independent right of self-government. 
The wrongs which nations commit, and which cause 
wars, are only the great sum of the evil doings of the 
men and women who make up the nation. One great 
national sin of the United States is now done away with, 
and can not again bring on war. Other evils remain, ig- 
norance, too" great desire for wealth, love of pleasure, 
impatience of any restraint — these are dangers that are 
now to he averted. Laws alone will not prevent their 
growth and the ruin they may bring. It is necessary for 
men and women, boys and girls, each to declare their 
Independence and maintain their Freedom from wrong 
doing. This will keep the national life pure, and make 
the country strong enough to stand like the pyramids, or 
like the living Banyan tree, which no storm can uproot, 
but whose growth increases century by century. 
* , 
Educated Senses, 
The eye, the ear, the ringers, all the servants of the 
soul, work more skillfully when properly trained. Per- 
haps the Indian has the keenest senses, made so by long 
practice. He must be on the alert, for hie life depends 
i,.;,,."- fttJle to outfit the animate that famish hie tahi© 
and his clothing, and also to elude his wary enemies. 
From infancy his eyes are taught to "look sharp," and 
his ears to " keep open," until not a bent twig or a pres- 
sed bunch of moss, or the rustle of a leaf, escapes his 
notice. But the most wonderful acuteness of the senses, 
produced by education, is seen where some of them 
have double duty to perform, as in the case of the blind. 
Hearing and touch divide between them the work usually 
done by the eye. A writer says : " To the seeing, touch 
is an auxiliary ; but to the blind boy, it is the primary 
sense of all. By it he knows his own clothes, and almost, 
all the property that he possesses — his tools, box, bed, 
hat, fiddle, cupboard, seat in chapel, schoolroom and 
workshop ; by it he reads his chapter in St. John or in, 
Robinson Crusoe ; he plays chess or dominoes ; works a 
a sum in long division, or writes a letter home to his 
mother which she can read with her eyes, and he with 
his fingers. By the help of touch he weaves a rug of col- 
ored wools ; or fringes with delicate green and red, 
a door mat for a lady's boudoir ; by touch he sees any 
curiosity, which you describe to him, and which, hav. 
ing once handled, he always speaks of as having seen. 
He thinks he can read a good deal of your character by ' 
touch when you shake hands with him ; and when he 
has heard you talk for a few minutes he will make a good 
guess as to your age, temper, ability and stature. One 
blind man at times guessed even more than this. He 
had been sitting one day and pleasantly chatting with 
some visitors for an hour, when one of them wished the 
company good morning, and left the room. ' What white 
teeth that lady has V said the sarcastic professor. 'How 
can you possibly tell that?' said a friend. 'Because," 
was the ready answer, 'for the last half-hour she has 
done nothing but laugh.' This was shrewd enough ; 
hut specially characteristic of him as a hlicd man," 
