1857.] Good Wives. 281 in the dark all the days of his life, beholding only the faint streaks of light as they shoot up the firmament, telling him that light does exist? Who would be contented with seeing the "rosy fingered aurora," from day to day without having the privilege of beholding the sun which paints it? And so, who would be satisfied with seeing the light of knowledge beam upon others, whilst he himself had to sit in the darkness of ignorance, or, at best, in the twilight occasioned by the few rays of light which might burst in upon his mind through the slightly opened portals? No one, we venture to say, who has any sense of his true interest and dignity, and who feels that he was not made to be for ever bound to the clods of earth on which he may have been born. Arouse, then, all ye that seek the light. Open wide the gates that lead to your minds and let the light of truth enter and abide with you. Now, who is it that strives after knowledge? Who is it that seeks the light of wisdom? Is it he who spends his youthful days in idleness and dissipation? Is it he who lays ont his money for unnecessary fineries, liquor, tobacco, or throws it away upon worthless characters who travels the country as circus-riders, clowns and fools? Is it he who spends his evenings in lounging about stores, bar-rooms, oyster saloons, or other such places? Is it he who sits at the game until the faint morning-light glimmers in the East, and then staggers home drunk? Or, is it she who spends her hours of day-light in reading love tales and other dirty trash, and her evening hours in visiting places of vulgar amusements, where body and soul are ruined together? Is it she who spends her precious time in making unnecessary and silly gew-gaws, which are neither for warm nor cold? No, no; none of these is engaged in the good work. They know not how to prize the good thing. They feel not-they see not the darkness in which they dwell? But you, gentle reader of the Guardian, what say you to this thing? Will not you seek all the light you can possibly obtain? If so, then be up and doing. Stir up your mind. Throw its portals wide open. Go in search of the light. Rest not till you find it and make it your own. But then, let it shine. Let others share the benefit and the blessings and you shall have your reward. GOOD WIVES-[AN OLD FANCY.] Good wives, like echoes, still should do, To have forever the last word. Good wives like city clocks should rhyme, Be regular and keep in time; But not like city clocks aloud, Be heard by all the vulgar crowd. TRAVELING AND ITS LESSONS. BY THE EDITOR. Wenn jemand eine Reise thut So kann er was erzählen." "HE that goes traveling has something to tell when he gets home," is a somewhat free rendering of the German couplet from Claudius under our caption. Having lately enjoyed a trip through the middle of Pennsylvania, Western New York, the Western part of Canada, Eastern borders of Michigan, and a good part of Ohio, we feel like telling some things that were of benefit to us, and we hope may also be to some of our readers. In traveling we have a good opportunity of studying human nature. The true character and disposition of men and women never comes so fully to view as when they travel. Every thing conspires to bring them to a revelation of themselves. The restraints of home sit less heavily upon them; the gentle glow of excitement which always takes possession of travelers in a greater or less degree, and the many new occasions and contacts which evermore meet them-all serve to draw them out. You see now and then a philosopher, such as we would like the reader to be when he travels, sitting silently, self-possessed, and observant in some part of the car. Here and there, too, you see a surly "man of business" who, like a patient ass, has suffered the world to lay a burden upon him too heavy to be pleasantly borne. Indeed, if you are a through passenger, you can with the greatest ease form a pretty correct judgment in regard to all who travel with you, and even of the way-passengers, who get in at one station and leave at the next. Of all bad things in man or woman none comes out more clearly than selfishness. Amid the excitement of getting out and in, how it reveals itself! The truly selfish, at such a time, think only of themselves. They swing their carpet bags against you, put their canes or parasols into your eyes, rush in between man and wife, parents and children, in order to be the first in, or the first out. How they spread themselves over the seat to invite you away, and if you must sit by their side what a lowering look of unwelcome you receive! How pitifully a woman, with the care of a child, or an old man with his bent and feeble body, looks around for a seat. Those who could not possibly be so impolite and inhuman at home are fully up to all such bad and selfish manners abroad. It is humiliating, but also often laughable, to see a passenger of this class "stick to his rights." An amusing instance of this kind occurred in our travels. A gentleman and his wife, with a bright-eyed boy of about six years, entered the car. The parents filled one seat, and the boy, to be near his parents, was in the act of turning the back of the seat next to them, which seemed vacant. In this, however, he was promptly arrested by Mr. Stick-to-your-Rights, who had left only for a time to look out on the other side of the car. There were plenty of 1857.] Traveling and its Lessons. 283 seats empty; for the car was not half filled; but this was his seat, he had a "right" to it, his coat hung above it as a testimony to that fact, and the boy had to take a seat on the other side of the car. This he did with much good grace, looking now tenderly across at his parents, and now wonderfully at his vanquisher! We watched the brave man closely, feeling sure that his victory over the boy would become an unpleasant feat to him. We could see him gradually growing uneasy, and ashamed. At length he actually picked up his coat, and took a seat at the far end of the car. We were glad to see this, for it convinced us that there was still a small undercurrent of the manly in him. While we do not advise a man to suffer himself to be imposed upon in traveling, we nevertheless feel sure that in a case like the one just given it is neither manly nor a sign of cultivation to "stick to one's rights." What appears to the traveler the greatest impoliteness and inhumanity is the cold neglect and mean treatment he generally receives when he asks some one for some item of information. How few give you a civil, to say nothing of a satisfactory answer. One should think that the very lowest impulses of humanity would dictate the propriety of giving to a stranger that asks for information, a civil, careful, and satisfactory answer. Yet no one will travel long without being convinced that no such thing is to be expected. In Europe, especially in Germany, it is said, that if you ask a man whom you meet in the street for any locality in the city, he will not only stop and inform you with the greatest care and deliberation, but if necessary he will turn round and go with you to the spot! But ask an American, in one of our cities-"Dont know, I'm sure" or, "straight a head"—or, "you've passed it”—or some such careless reply, whilst he never stops a moment to give you a careful direction. There is, however, one way in which you may always get a civil answer, and if possible, the desired information. We would impart the secret to our readers for their benefit. It has never failed us, and we have practiced it for years. Look carefully through the crowd till you see a negro-ask him, and you will not only receive a civil, but a satisfactory answer. Try it and you will thank us for the information. No difference about the philosophy on which it rests. It is a fact; and that is sufficient for all practical purposes. It requires a great amount of good nature to travel, especially in the North and West. You are exposed to endless impositions. Packs of hungry harpies are always on your heels, your only safety is in not committing yourself in any way. Accept of no service until you know what you are expected to pay. Such advice, we know full well, sounds harsh to civilized ears; but be assured you must practice upon it-and you may as well learn it from the Guardian, as to learn it by experience. You will come by it cheapest in this way. Another means of escaping imposition is to let them know as little about yourself and your business as possible. As soon as they find out that you are not likely ever to come that way again, and that this is in all probability the last and only chance they will have at you, they will make the best of the crop. We find that even hotels of the better class practice upon this principle! Do not believe one-fiftieth part of what those say whose interest it is to influence you. You will ascertain the fact after some experience, and not only say in your haste like the Psalmist, but with the utmost deliberation: "All men are liars !" How pleasantly does Pennsylvania, including even the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburg, contrast with more northern and western States, including Canada, in old-fashioned truthfulness and honesty. Ohio, however, is not so bad. There the Pennsylvania trustiness still prevails in a happy degree; and, as a general thing, you can trust yourself to men in the matter of business intercourse. Even in regard to railroad accommodations you feel the difference. A ticket agent at Niagara Falls belied us, and sold us a ticket which did not cover what he promised. Of all the roads over which we passed, there was none on which we felt ourselves surrounded with such an easy, honest familiarity, as on the Pennsylvania Central Road, between Pittsburg and Philadelphia. Here the gentlemanly conductors do not domineer around you like a newly appointed police, who feel their "little brief authority," and are intent upon making all others feel it too; but you are approached and addressed by men pleasantly and cheerfully devoted to your comfort. The road, too, is most excellent. Though you are rolled around fearful mountains, and even through them, yet you pass as smoothly as over any of the level prairies of the west. The constant change of bold and wild scenery on this route has a remarkable influence in relieving the weary monotony which generally characterizes rail-roading. Let any one travel as we did over the Great Western railroad from Niagara Falls through dull Canada to Detroit, and afterwards over this Pennsylvania road, and he will know the difference of which we speak. What an uninteresting country that Canada is at least along the route of the Great Western railroad from the Falls to Detroit. The land is level and rather wet. Horses are poor. Houses are small, and of the cheapest construction-either of log in cabin style, or frame covered with unpainted weatherboards. They stand perfectly bleak, and most un-rural, with not a tree, and scarcely a sod near the house. I do not think we saw one house in fifty for 250 miles that had a tree of any kind near it! In the towns the houses are nearly as poor and indifferent, and scattered over a large space. You scarcely see a brick house. There are a few in London, the largest town we passed, but they were not red, but yellow, almost the color of the natural clay. Until the country was opened by the railroad these people were shut out from the great world of life; but now they are beginning to come into living and acting communication with the great world. However slowly they may seem to come up in other matters they have learned the prices admirably! It sounded quite strange to our ears to hear from the fruit and cake boys 25 cents for a small pie, and 64 for an old-fashioned ginger cake, and then they were not near so fat and yellow as Mrs. Dewalt used to make them for a penny a-piece when we were a boy. Though we have already roved considerably in our article, even as we did in our travels, we cannot refrain from coming to the conclusion by way of Niagara Falls. We had seen it before, but never as this time, at early morn. It was a lovely walk to Goat Island at 5 o'clock in the morning. It had rained the previous day; and now the foliage was clean of dust and doubly green, glistening in the early dew. There was not a 1857.] Our Sister-Men and Women. 285 cloud to eastward on the face of the sky, and the sun began in glory like a strong man to run a race. The birds were out and particularly cheerful around the Falls, even up to the edge of the roaring water and the dashing spray. The woods were otherwise deeply silent, and the "Thunderer" for that reason the more distinctly loud. The rainbow-oh how fine!—and at that morning hour more impressively than ever to our eye and heart the symbol of promise and hope. Few scenes lie so pleasantly in our memory as that morning scene at the Great Falls. We hope the reader, who visits that spot of wonders, where the "Almighty glasses Himself," and shows somewhat of his power, will not fail to see it at early morn, when the sun's rays aslant, and many sounds which the silence only at that hour renders audible, will picture to his eye, and sing to his ear, and whisper to his soul, what "he will never all express, and never all conceal." OUR SISTER. BY EMMA ALICE BROWN. The following lines, which we cut from a Louisville paper, are very beautiful. Few thing have been written more touching and sweet: SHE hath caught the fair splendor, She hath heard the low tender, Melodious warble at Heaven's high gate, And she says-" I am weary! The night time is dreary Dear Savior, that lov'st me, I know thou dost wait By the River of Life, at the beautiful gate!" Her babe on her bosom, (O! pale little blossom!) We folded her hands in a solemn repose, Then fell we a-weeping For her visionless sleeping, As the long heavy night-watchers drew to a close; And we left her with death in lovely repose. MEN AND WOMEN. Men hate, because in act or strife The shaft that galled their wing. |