Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1887 — Don’t Hear Everything. [ARTICLE]

Don’t Hear Everything.

The art of not hearing should be learned by all. It is fully as important to domestic happiness as a cultivated ear, for which so much time and money are expended. There are so many thing which it is painful to hear, many which we ought not to hear, very many which, if heard, will disturb the temper, corrupt simplicity and modesty, detract from contentment and happiness, that every one should be educated to take in or shut out sounds, according to his pleasure. If a man falls into a violent passion, and calls us all maqner of names, at the first word we should shut our ears, and hear no more. If, in our quiet voyage of life, we find ourselves caught in one of those domestic whirlwinds of scolding, we should shut our ears as a sailor would furl his sa ls, and, making all tight, scud before the gale. If a hot and restless man begins to inflame our feelings, we should consider what mischief these fiery sparks may do in our magazine below, where our temper is kept, and instantly close the door.

If, as has been remarked, all the petty things said of one by heedless or ill-natured idlers were to be brought home to him, he would become a mere walking pin-cushion stuck full of sharp remarks. If we would be happy, when among good men, we should open our ears; when among bad men, shut them, it is not worth while to hear what our neighbors say about our children, what our rivals say about our business, our dress, or our affairs.

The art of not hearing, though untaught in our schools, is by no means unpracticed in society. We have noticed that a well-bred woman never hears a vulgar or impertinent remark. A kind of discreet deafness saves one from many insults, from much blame, from not a little connivance in dishonorable conversation. —Treasure Trove.

The steam-gauge should be so placed that the pressure can be read from any part of the engine-room, and it should be known to be correct at all times. Governors should always receive very careful attention to insure their proper action. If they are allowed to run dry or become gummed by accumulations of dirt and grease they will lose all sensitiveness of action and not properly control the speed of the engine. The foundation of a chimney is no place in which to get rid of the bats and other refuse brick that may have accumulated. It is safe to watch the builders very closely, and see that they do not put that kind of material in the chimneys they are building for you. Boilers do not improve by standing idle. They will rust very rapidly. An idle boiler, like an idle man, soon wears out. Sharp chisels should not be used to cut the scale off from a boiler sheet. You will cut the plate and do more harm than good. Use a light hammer. A belt that is slipping and refusing to do the work that is put upon it can be made to act all right if the pulleys over which it runs are made larger. Check valves that get stuck open can be closed by a slight tap of the hammer. But when they stick at all they should be opened as soon as the pressure can be shut off and thoroughly cleansed.— Power-Steam.

To get the oil out of a grindstone, make the stone as hot as safety will permit, and then cover it with a paste of whiting and water. The mixture will soon become filled with oil, when it may be scraped off and the process repeated until all the oil is extracted.