S62 
AMEKICAN AGRIOULTUmST. 
[July, 
[COPTEIGHT SECITEED,] 
MANY A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP. ”—Brawn ana Engravea for the American Agricuimrist. 
Not quite, Mr. Reynard! You havG 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 be 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 “Certiflcates 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 tlxc “prizes” were distrib¬ 
uted. Perhaps a better way to state it would bo the 
foxy managers pounced upon these silly ducks, tore out a 
few greenbacks from their pockets, and then let them "-o 
If they will imitate the duck, and keep out of the cun¬ 
ning sharpers’ way hereafter, it will be well. 
Imlepeiiileatce I>ay, 
Pop ! fizz ! snap ! bang ! hurrah ! Hail Columl 
I hat s about the way the boys’ thoughts run now, j 
a few days they will let them out from fire-cracker 
pbidint^HiT^’. thing tliat can make a noi 
cludm„ their own throats for the shoutinsr chorus 
well to celebrate the Nation’s birthday. People di 
to the best way of doing it. young folks ^who 
know what vreak nerves are i -■ . 
haps it is well that they do.’ Men andv°^^'^ noises 
of thoughts about work and Inisincss, the“Sghl 
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 Avhen everybody knows how to 
keep up his own independent right of self-government. 
The Avrongs Avhich nations commit, and AAdiich cause 
Avars, are only the great sum of the evil doings of the 
men and Avomen avIio make up the nation. One great 
national sin of the United States is noAV done aAvay Avith, 
and can not again bring on AA'ar. Other evils remain, ig¬ 
norance, too great desire for Avealth, love of pleasure, 
impatience of any restraint—these are dangers that are 
noAV to be averted. Luaa'S alone aauII not prevent their 
groAvth and the ruin they may bring. It is necessary for 
men and Avomen, boys and girls, each to declare their 
Independence and maintain their Freedom from Avrong 
doing. This Avill keep the national life pure, and make 
the country strong enough to stand like the pyramids, or 
like the living Banyan tree, Avhich no storm can uproot, 
but Avhose groAvth increases century by century. 
f^ducated Senses. 
The eye, the ear, the fingers, all the servants of the 
soul, Avork more skillfully Avhen properly trained. Per¬ 
haps the Indian has the keenest senses, made so by long 
practice. He must be on the alert, for his life depends 
cn being able to outAvit the animals that fimiish his table 
and his clothing, and also to elude his AA'ary enemies. 
From infancy his eyes arc taught to “look sharp,” and 
his ears to “ keep open,” until not a bent tAvig or a pres¬ 
sed bunch of moss, or the rustle of a leaf, escapes his 
notice. But the most AA'onderful acuteness of the senses, 
produced by education, is seen Avhere some of them 
haA'e double duty to perform, as in the case of the blind. 
Hearing and touch divide betAveen them the Avork usually 
done by the eye. A Avriter says: “To the seeing, touch 
is an auxiliary; but to the blind boy, it is the primary 
sense of all. By it he knoAvs hisoAA-n clothes, and almost 
all the property that he possesses—his tools, box, bed, 
hat, fiddle, cupboard, seat in chapel, schoolroom and 
Avorkshop ; by it he reads his chapter in St. John or in 
Robinson Crusoe ; he plays chess or dominoes ; Avorks a 
a sum in long division, or Avrites a letter home to his 
mother Avhich she can read Avith her eyes, and he Avith 
his fingers. By the help of touch he Aveaves a rug of col¬ 
ored Avools; or fringes Avith delicate green and red 
a door mat for a lady’s boudoir; by touch he sees any 
curiosity, Avhich you describe to him, and AA’hich, haA'- 
ing once handled, he ahA'ays speaks of as having seen. 
He thinks he can road a good deal of your character by 
touch Avhen you shako hands Avith him; and Avhen he 
has heard you talk for a fcAV minutes he Avill make a good 
guess as to your age, temper, ability and stature. One 
blind man at times guessed CA'cn more than this. He 
had been sitting one day and pleasantly chatting AA'ith 
some visitors for an hour, Avhen one of them wished the 
company good morning, and left the room. ‘ "VYhat Avhite 
teeth that lady has !’ said the sarcastic professor. ‘ Hoav 
can you possibly tell that ?’ said a friend. ‘ Because,’ 
Avas the ready ansAver, ■ for the last half-hour she has 
done nothing but laugh.’ This aa’Us shrewd enough; 
out specially characteristic of him as a blind man.’’ 
