lIS II IK HABIT OF MUCH SUPERFICIAL READING LEADS TO HALF DOING OTHER THINGS. impairs Mental Power—Great Think ers Always Thorough Readers —Macaulay's Rule for Concentration. .By Dr. Orison Swett Marden. (Editor Success Magazine, New York.) of the man of one book," D said Dr. Johnson. "Beware of the man who knows one tiling well, lie is a dangerous antagonist." Thoroughness is the foundation of worthy achievement in any direction. In reading it is foundation, solid con tents, apex—eveything. A smattering of books, no matter how extensive, will never strengthen the intellect or enlarge the mind. The mere book taster is as ignorant of lit erature, as unappreciative of the true riches of books as the globe trotter is of the countries through which he rushes, merely to be able to say that he has been in them. Mental Dissipation. Life may be crippled by a habit of superficial or desultory reading, for such reading weakens the mind, im pairs the memory, undermines the pow ers of application and persistence, and destroys that desire for completeness, for wholeness of life, which is the crown of character. People who read with half a mind, who turn from one book to another, skimming here and there, and not read ing any thoroughly or to the close, will soon begin to half do other things or leave them unfinished. The habit will manifest itself in every phase of their lives. The temptation to reading of this kind is greatly increased by the enor mous recent multiplication of litera ture, and is a menace to depth of cul ture, especially to dwellers in cities. Anxious to be able to say that they have read the latest "best-selling books of the month," and desirous of being regarded as aufait in literary matters, many people are silly enough to try to skim through a hundred books and magazines in a month, without any pffort or wish to appropriate and make their own the thoughts they contain— that is any of them that contain a thought worth remembering, which cannot be said of many of our "best selling books." This is the worst sort of mental dis sipation and the most pernicious in its results. It is the kind of "multifa rious reading" which Rev. F. W. Rob srtson says "weakens the mind more than doing nothing, for it becomes a necessity at last, like smoking, and is in excuse for the mind to lie dormant while thought is poured in, and runs iirough a clear stream, over unproduct ive gravel, on which not even mosses grow." No superficial reader ever became an ;xact or great scholar or an authority >n any subject. No matter how many school and college diplomas you may tiold, if you are not educated, for it is thoroughness in reading that gives breadth and solidity to education, as it is thoroughness in work that gives strength and stability to character. Desultory Reading Bad. One good book thoroughly read, di gested and assimilated until it becomes, like the iron atoms in our blood, a part of ourselves, is worth more to a reader than the thoughtless skimming over of thousands of volumes. Edward Everett Hale says that if a person will take up some subject and study it thoroughly he will have a better knowledge of it in one month than any one else but a specialist. So, if you ab sorb and make apart of your life a few great books, instead of squandering your time and demoralizing your mental fac ulties by attempting to swallow, with out digesting, every volume that comes in your way, you will be a better read man or woman than any but a specialist in literature. Probably not one reader in a hundred to-day could give an intelligent synopsis of a book he hss just read. The matter lies a confused heap, and undefined, nebulous mass in his mind. Whatever is taken into the mental chamber, without any attempt at classi fication or systematic arrangement, merely induces mental dyspepsia. After a while the mind becomes so clogged with unassimilated material that it is un able to act with quickness or certainty It losses confidence and elasticity. The very power to think actively and de finitely is destroyed by the habit of su perficial reading. It is to many an unpleasant task, aftei reading a book or listening to a sermon of lecture, to write out an analysis of it. But it is by the expercise of such pains taking thoroughness that the Websters. the Choates, the Lincolns, the Clays and the Gladstones are made. Make Notes as You Read. Those who have gotten the most out of books have not only read and re-read them with eager, absorbing attention, but have also made copious notes on the margins, on the fly-leaves, between the lines, or else in notebooks kept for the purpose. Of course it is troublesome, and some times inconvenient, to stop reading to make notes, but it is the price famous writers, orators and scholars have paid for their accumulated knowledge. The libraries of many great men show that their books were their quarries, their reservoirs of thought, their ma terial for future use, for they are full of motes, and in some cases blank leaves have been inserted for remarks, sugges- ' tions and criticisms. Much of what we admire as unusual talent is but an infinite capacity for tak ing pains, and most of us, by taking pains with our reading, as well as with other thiugs, could double and treble our power and usefulness. Taking copious notes, reading and re reading, with a mind entirely free from distracting' cares or thoughts, never leaving an obscure passage until it lias become perfectly clear, never passing a word whose meaning or pronunciation we do not know without consulting a dic tionary, and if possible, committing some of the finest passages to memory— this is the only way to read with profit. Many will object that such a method would take too much time. But even the most brilliant intellects found no short cut to knowledge by reading. Franklin advised everybody to read with a pen in hand and to make notes of all they read. Joseph Cook also ad vised all young men and women to keep commonplace books and make notes of their reading. Macaulay's Rule. Henry Ward Beecher, in the course of a conversation on reading, said: "The great point is to road nothing without reflection. l*r. Macaulay, who used to preach in New York, told me that when a boy at college he began to read enthusiastically, but that at the foot of every page he read he stopped and obliged himself to give an account of what he had read on that page. At first he had to read it three or four times before he got his mind firmly fixed. But he rigorously compelled him self to conform to the process, until now, he says, after he has read a book through once, he can almost recite it from beginning to end. it is a very simple habit to form early in life, and is invaluable for acquiring accuracy and thorough knowledge of the mate rial with which a man has to deal." It is recorded that Macaulay, the great English historian and essayist, adopted a similar plan of reading in his youth. Harriet Martineau said of herself: "I am the slowest of readers —sometimes a page an hour is all I read." "I never knew but one or two fast readers, or readers of many books, whose knowledge was worth any thing." observes ltev. F. W. Robertson. "I read hard or not at all, never skim ming, never turning aside to merely inviting books; and the thoughts of Plato, Aristotle, Thucydid. s, Sterr.e and Jonathan Edwards have passed, like the iron atoms of the blood, into my mental constitution." "My mother compelled me to learn, by daily toil, long chapters of the Bible by heart," says Raskin, "and to his dis cipline I owe not only my knowledge of this work, but also much of my gen eral power for taking pair.s and the best part of my taste in literature." If men and women whose intellectual pre-eminence has made them guide posts for future generations, had to be so patient and laborious in forming correct reading habits, can the average boy or girl of the twentieth century afford to take less pains? Wealth of Reading a Snare. The fact that the majority of people to-day are less thorough in their read ing than were their grandfathers and grandmothers is largely owing to the bewildering mass of books, magazines and newspapers at their command in libraries, clubs and reading rooms, and to be obtained for a few cents at book stalls, or in department stores. We usually appreciate advantages according to the difficulty of obtaining them, and it frequently happens that it is not the boy who is brought up in an atmosphere of books, who has easy access to immense libraries and read ing rooms, and who has perhaps a score of magazines coming to his home each month, who gains most from his opportunities. How often is it the country lad, to whom books are a lux ury, who may never have seen a library, but who devours the few vol umes he can borrow as if lie would never see them again, who is heard from in after life. Lincoln got more real good out of the half dozen books to which he had access as a youth than many a modern boy ever gets out of the great city libraries and reading rooms which are constantly open to him. Busy people complain that they have not time to read carefully, that their reading must be done "on the fiy," on the trains, on cars or ferryboats, or on their way to and from store or office, or not at all. Others say that they cannot reserve any special time for reading, and that it is impossible, in the midst of household duties or other distractions, to seize odd intervals of leisure and read connectedly or with any degree of profit. All May Have Culture. It is not necessary to have a pre scribed time for reading, or a certain number of hours a clay to devote to it in order to become well read. If the habit of concentration has been fixed in boy hood and girlhood we can read to ad vantage, no matter \*hat our environ ment or how limited or broken the time at our disposal. It would, of course, be greatly in our favor to have an hour or two each day which we couid count upon absolutely for montaJ culture. But because we have not is r:o reason why we should not be cultured if we desire to be. If the dosire be there we will make the most of our opportunities, as did Elihu Burritt, the "learned black smith," who acquired many languages &nd solved difficult mathematical prob lems during the pauses of his work at the forge. Examples are not wanting to show us what may be done by the earnest-mind ed. Standing in line with his fellow errand boys at the post office in Amsterdam, the eminent Greek explorer, Dr. Schlie mann, with open book in hand, utilized the moments of waiting in laying the foundations of hi# future greatness. CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1905. Amid the constant distractions of household cares, which were never neg lected, Mary Somerville completed her "Mechanism of the Heavens," which gave her rank as one of the foremost scientists of her day. It is not lack of time or opportunity, so much as lack of heart and earnestness, that prevents most of us from becoming well-informed readers. If, like liobert Louis Stevenson, one constantly carries a notebook and pen cil in one pocket and a hook in another; and if, like Gladstone, always is pre pared to turn to account the moments while waiting for a train, a car or a ferryboat, he will not only find time to read, but will also read with profit. (Copyright, 1908, By Joseph B. Bowles.) THE MAKING OF MAGAZINES Marvelous Facts Regarding This Branch of the Publishing Busi ness in the United States. In the United States there are to-day 2,838 monthly magazines. About 50,000,000 are sold every month, says Woman's Home Companion. The advertisements amount to about $30,000,000 a year. The sales amount to 175,000,000. In one year the average American family buys 40 magazines. The paper used to print these mag azines weighs 125,000,000 pounds. About 40,000 people are professional magazine makers. Nearly 200,000 people arc supported by the magazine business. Such is the fairy-like tale of American progress in the lineof magazine makinp. All the daily and weekly papers of Asia scarcely equal the monthly magazines of this country. To compare the United States with Europe, our magazines equal the number of newspapers in Russia, Spain. Greece, Belgium and Holland combined. It is not possible to realize what the above figures mean without taking a few comparisons. The magazine business has become so enormous that its statistics convey no clear idea to our minds. Wo must call in the aid of imagination and transform the figures into pictures. We all know, for instance, that Minne apolis is a large city. There are only 18 American cities that are larger. Yet if all the people who make magazines were to move to one spot, they would make a city as large as Minneapolis. There are eight states or territo ries that have a smaller population than the proud city of Magazinia would have. This city of Magazinia would also have a yearly income equal to the com bined revenues of Denmark, Rotimania, Norway and Greece. Four European kingdoms—with a total population of over 13,000,000. with courts and armies and navies, with hundreds of tax gath erers, squeezing millions from the peo ple—obtained less money last year than the people of the United States paid for magazines. Is it any wonder that the citizens of Magazinia feel proud of their achievements? Six hundred million magazines a year! The total weigfot of these magazines is G2.500 tons. THE CONDUCTOR'S SHAVE. Remarks of Commuters Make Him Feel Like Punching Heads Instead of Tickets. When the conductor, who had always worn a heavy mustach, entered the smoking car of the suburban train the j other morning there was a weak smile i upon his long upper lip. The mustach had disappeared, says the New York J Sun. He tried to punch tickets with an ab i sence of self-consciousness, but it was not easy, for these were some of the com ments and questions handed to him by the commuters as he passed down the line: "We'll make better time now we don't havo to carry that mustach." "Going to wear Galways?" "Did you swallow it?" "I beg your pardon, but this is so sud den." "Get it on again, quick." "Getting gray, was it?" "Company regulation?" "He's as pretty as a show girl." "What made you stop at your mus tach? Why didn't you shave your ' head?" "Tired of carrying excess 'baggage, eh ?" "Did it tickle your nose?" "Girl make you take it off?" "Gee! You're handsome now." "What did the barber give you for it?" "He looks like Russell Sage." "No; Lillian Russell. "What fine teeth he has, now that we can see them." "What makes your upper lip so blue?" "Cold, and n» wonder." "Get a little bunch of spinach on your chin, and break even." "Did you lose it on the ponies?" "Why didn't you keep it to bet on the election?" "You'd better paint one on your lip until the other grows again." And so on. The only passengers who had nothing to say were two or three who were ostentatiously rendered speechless with horror. For Soldiers' Guidance. The cotton handkerchiefs provided for French soldiers have printed upon them a number of sanitary precepts to be observed on the march and during a campaign, and are further decorated with medallions containing pictures of j officers of all grades; the different uni j forms being so distinctly portrayed that a French private can tell at a glance to what grade any officer he may see be longs. Working for His Living. Citizen —See here, why do you beg? Mendicant—Why, a feller can't live by doin' aothin'.—Philadelphia Bul letin. NOT SUCH A FUNNY TRICK. Drummer's Joke on Waiter Turned Out a Costly One On Himself. "I there cornea to every man a desire to ilo something smart on an oc casion." said the drummer, as a sigh took the place of his smile, according to the New York Times. "Well, such a desire came to me as I was leaving a certain southern city after • week's stay. The waiter at my table had called we 'Gineral' and been at great pains to tare for me and I made up iny inind to reward him with a $5 bill. It was a coftntcrfeit with which 1 had been stuck, but I thought it would be the biggest kind of a joke to work off on Hob. "1 had got a hundred miles away when I was arrested on a telegram for passing counterfeit money, and when taken baclc I was arraigned in a United States cottrt and had to give bail and appear oil three different occasions. I had a lawyer and other expenses, lost a good three weeks altogether and just escaped prison by the akin of my Jeeth. In addition to this I had to make rood to the waiter, who sor rowfully shook his head when he rece'ved the money and said: "I'ze sorry for you, Gineral, but din may be do means of savin' your contemptible soul from the gallus!" JUST LIKE PRISON ROUTINE. Boastful Traveler Brought to a Pause by a Very Embarrassing Question. The eccne was a third-class smoking compartment, five on a side. The speaker was stout, (lorid, with short cut gray hair, cud was very self-satisfied. The effem inate degeneracy of modern young men was his theme, relates London Tit-liita. "Look at me! Sixty yeais of age—never had a day's illness in my life, and can do my four miles an hour! Why? because from when i was '2O to when 1 was over 40 1 lived a regular life. No delicacies for me! No late hours! Every day, sum mer and winter, I went to bed at nine, got up at five, lived principally on por ridge, worked hard—hard, mind you, from eight to one, then dinner, then an hour's wulUmg exercise, and then—" "Leg your pard'n, guv'nor," interrupted a young working man sitting opposite, "but wot was you in for?" Further Explanation Needed. Possible Purchaser—What is the title of this painting? Artist That is "A Ship in a Storm." "It's wonderfully effective and striking. Would—h'm—would you mind telling me which is the ship and which is the storm?" —Chicago Tribune. Found at Last. ITensloy, Ark., Doc. 2>>th. — (Special)— That, a suro euro for Backache would bo a priceless boon to the people, and especially the women of America, is admitted by all Interest U in medical matters, and Mrs. Suo Williams of this place is certain sho has found in Dodd'a Kidney Pills tlio loug lookod-for cure. " 1 am as years old," Mrs. Williams says, "and have suffered with the Backache very much for thr« oor four years. I havo been treated by good physicians and pot no roller, but thanks to God, Iluve found a euro at last and it 1m Dodd's Kidnoy Pills. I have taken only one box and it has done meinoro fo id than all the doctors in three or four years. I want all sufferers from Backache to know that they can gut Dodd's Kidney tills and pet well.'' Backache is one of tho first symptoms of Kidney Disease. Guard against Brig'at's Disease or Rheumatism by curing it with Dodd'a Kidney Pills. A three-year-old boy of Machias, Me., walked eight miles over rough country roads the other day. That boy will grow up to be a great actor. —Ohio State Jour nal. BEAUTIFUL SKIN, Soft "White 11 mid a anil I.uxnrlnnt Huir l*ro«Iuoeil liy Caticui'a, Soap. Millions of Women T'se Cutieura Soap, assisted by Cutieura Ointment, the great skin cure, for preserving, purifying and beautifying the skin, for cleansing tho scalp of crusts, scales and dandruff, and the stopping of falling hair, for softening, whitening and soothing red, rough an<l sore hands, for baby rashes, itchings and chafings, for annoying irritations and ul cerative weaknesses, and many antiseptic purposes which readily suggest tnein sdves, as well as for all the purposes of the toilet, bath and nursery. It is a Parisian doctor who insists that love is the result of a microbe. Then let science take warning and leave the ten der germ undisturbed.—Cleveland Plain Dealer. Are You Going to Florida or New Orleans P Tickets on sale via Queen & Crescent Routo and Southern Railway to Florida, New Orleans and other points south at freatly reduced rates, good returniug May Ist, 1903. Also variable route tickets good going to points in Florida and Cuba via Atlanta, and returning via Aslievillo. For rates and other information address : TV. A. Beckler, N. P. A., 113 Adams Street, Chicago, 111. D. P. Brown. N. E. P. A., 11 Fort Street,W., Detroit, Mich. W. W. Dunnavant. T. P. A , Warren, Ohio. W. C. Binearson, G. P. A., Cincinnati, Ohio. A Salt Lake doctor has found a new drug which he declares is better than castor oil. And it wouldn't have to be ▼ery good at that. —Indianapolis News. To Cure a Cold in One Day Take Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets. All druggists refund the money if it fails to cure. E. W. Grove's signature is on each box. 25c. "Chat on the Care of Children," former ly a feature of the woman's page, has given wav to "Timely Tips on the Treat ment of Toy Dogs."—N. Y. Herald. Do not believe Piso'*Cure for Consump tion has an equal for coughs and colds. —J. F. Boyer, Trinity Springs, lnd., Feb. 15,1000. A mother could tell her daughter lots about helping out her lover if she dared to give herself away to her.—N. Y. Press. A Guaranteed Cure for Piles. Itching, Blind. Bleeding or Protruding Piles. "Your druggist wild refund money if PAZO OINTMENT fails to euro in 6to 14 days. 50c. Even hope has been known to die of old age.—N .Y. Times. i The OTd Monk Cure "t* T for :; JACOBS JwJm w V\V#VJ °' human family, relieve* •• T and curea promptly. .. i II s . trade .c .1. A. Hi<r MARK. Price 85c. and 80c. .. | dale, N. Y., Templar, and Member of W. C. T. U., tells how she recovered from a serious illness by the use of Lydia E* Pinkham's Vegetable Compound* " DEAR MRS. PINKIIAM :—I am one of the many of your grateful friends who have been cured through the use of Lydia E. Pinkliam's Vegetable Compound, and who can to-day thank you for the fine health I enjoy. When I was thirty-live years old, I suffered severe backache and frequent bearing down pains; in fact, I had womb trouble. I was"very anxious to get well, and reading of the cures your Compound had made, I decided to try St. I took only six bottles, but it built me up and cured me entirely of all my troubles. "My family and relatives were naturally as gratified as I was. My nieces had heart trouble and nervous prostration, and was considered incurable. She took your Vegetable Compound aDd It cured her in a short time, and sho became well and strong, and her home ,o her great joy and her husband'a delight was blessed with a baby. I knew of a number of others who have ■ been cured of different kinds of female trouble, and am satisfied that your Compound is the best medicine for sick wo.nen."— MßS. ELIZABETH 11. THOMPSON, Box 105, Lillydale, N. Y. Thousands upon thousands of women throughout this country are not only expressing l such sentiments as tho above to their friends, but are continually writing letters of gratitude to Mrs. Pinkliani, until sho Las hundreds of thousands of letters from women in all classes of society who have been restored to health by lier advice and luediciue after all other means had failed. Ilero is another letter which proves conclusively that there is no other medicine to equal Lydia E. Pinkliam's Vegetable Compound. I, "DEAR MRS. PIXKHAM: I suffered with poor health for over seven years, not sick enough to 6tny in bed, and not well enough to enjoy 1 i fe and attend to my daily duties proper ly. 1 was growing thin, my complexion was sallow, I was easily upset and irritable. ~ " One of my neighbors advised me to try Lydia E. Pinkliam's Vegetable Com —* IJSJ pound, and I procured a bottle. A great &x 3 c bange for the better took place within a week, and I decided to keep up the treatment. " Within two months I was like a changed 1 \/i yf r-<w woman, my health good, my step light, my I r ' Jii * e y es bright, my complexion vastly improved, I / I yV A 112 \ and I felt once more like a young girl. I '■ft 1 wont ler now how I ever endured the misery. 112 f'\\ 1 I would not spend another year like it ior a j 1 \ y 112 fortune. " I appreciate my good health, and give ! all the praise to Lydia E. Pinkliam's Vegetable Compound." Mas. M. TILLA, 407 Ilabersteen St., Savannah, Ga. Mrs. Pinkham has on file thousands of such letters. ArAnn FORFEIT If we cannot forthwith produce tho original letters and signatures of \ hllilll above testimonials, which will prore t&eir absolute genuineness. VvUUU Lydia K. l'lnkham lied. Co., Lynn, Mass. Nn \*incj7 z™* NO Celery King, the great ■ ■ tonic-laxative. It is, therefore, the safest med icine for the family. It cures stomach troubles, lj| | j nervous diseases, blood BK | diseases, headache. It Is the most satisfactory ■ " ■■ ■ laxative. Coughing is Serious even for those in robust health. Take Shiloh's Consumption Cure, the Lung Tonic, it is guaran teed to cure any cough. Your money back, if it i doesn't. 408 25c., 50c. and SI.OO Strawberry and Vegetable Dealers The Passenger Department of the 1111 no!s Central Railroad Company huve recently issued a publtca > lion known aaCircular No. 12, In which is doacrlbod 1 1 the best territory In this country for the growing of eu.ly Rtrawberr.es and early vegetables. Kvery dealer 1 n such products should ADDRCHB a postal card to the undersigned at IH'HIQCM, 10'? A* reuuestlnc n ropy of "Circular No. 12." ; J. F. MUItUY. Asst. Geu'l I'ttM'r AtfeuW 1 DATICWTQ 48 f 1 "* 0 bonk F,lrl! ' 1 * I (Ms I a I *3 highest references. fc'ITZtiBUALIJ & CO., Ilujt It, Washington, 1). 0. Mixed Farming, Wheat Raising, Ranching. Three Rrrat pursuits haT» s?T'lLlfvnn ajaln ihown wonderful re- JlWeTKrtd >ult« on the FREE Home «t*ad Lands of Western c ""* d * th " year " Magnificent climate—farmers plowing in their •hirt aleeves in the middle of November. •• All are bound to be more than pleased with the final results of the past season's harvests."— Extract. Coal, wood, water, hay in abundance—schools, churches, markets convenient. Apply for Information to SUPERINTENDENT Of IMMIGRATION, Ottawa, Canada, or to 11. M. WILLIAMS, Law Building, Toledo, O. Authorized Canadian Government Agent. Plea« 4 tay where you eavf tha advertisement. A OURiOUS FliOl It is worthy of remark that every city cf any size or importance in the great state of Texas is located directly on the line of the M. K. & T. R'y. Naturally the country adjacent to theso cities, and the cities themselves, aro a little richer in opportunities than otber portions of the state, which is as a whole a state surpassingly attractive to the investor and home-seeker. Low rates on tho first and third Tues days of each month. I would like to send you somo priuted matter about Texas. S Write to me. "KATY" ST. LOVIS. MO. wtf# Heat Cough ojrup. Tastes Good. L>e g Prf In time. Bold by druggist*. A. N. It—o J2034 7
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers