Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1901 — Arrow Shots. [ARTICLE]

Arrow Shots.

I shot an arrow into the air. It fell to the earth; I know not where. —Longfellow. Cider is really good only when drunk out of a jug. As long as a man is modest his mistakes are not held against him. If a man marries a rich girl, folks never get over talking about it. We believe half of our people are at some lodge meeting every night. It is great sport to wa’ch a, joke Altering through an audience. Lots of people talk about being so independent who are shocking todiers Everybody is envious of the person in a small town who gets to go abroad. It must be admitted that it looks funny to see a stock buyer riding a bicycle. Enough raw material is wasted in this world in various ways to make us all rich. When one has a hole in his shoe there is sure to be one in his sock at the same place. Funny things cannot help happening, even at the most solemn memorial service. When there is nobody else to blame meanness upon, it is the thing to Bay it is the “politicians.” We see drivers with hand holds in their lines who horses could not be made to run off. We can’t help having a little more respect for the man who, if he must get drunk, waits till after dark. . Nothing looks more deserted than a country depot in a country town just after the train has pulled out. Old widowers lean lots more when out buggy riding with their second love than they did the Arst time. Some men speculate trying to make up for what they have lost. Did it ever occur to you how many keys for doors and drawers and things there are made that are never used. The men who talk the most about their own righteousness are likely to be the ones who need watching the most.

Nearly everybody wears some sort of a badge. The woman folks say that boys always have curly hair while the girls in the same family have hair as straight as Indians. A mechanic who comes from a strange town does not have to do half as good work as the home men to satisfy the people. Drunkenness seems to make all men feel young again, for we notice when a man is full, no matter how old he is, he associates with the boys. It is not often that an old man admits that he is a back number, unless it .is when he wants to rub it into another man who is still a little older.