Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1901 — Arrow Shots. [ARTICLE]

Arrow Shots.

I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to the earth; I know not where. —Longfellow. It must take a hero to play chepa on a real hot day. A naan who goes visiting and takes several hats along must not have much else to do. When a man comes back to his old home visiting he pretenda that he goes to the post-office every day in order to get a letter from his wife. If a man uses your pen, he never puts it back where he got it. We always like a poor breakfast on Thanksgiving day, because it gives one such an appetite for dinner. One man’s downfall nearly always means another’s advancement. How mad it makes us, after a long drouth, to see a man come along carrying an umbrella at the least sign of rain. Most people are nothing but affectation. A man feels like congratulating him self when he refuses to bite on a fool scheme. When a lot of old men get together they talk only about the things they used to do, and not a word about what they intend to do. It is astonishing the number of relatives of a rich man that bob up after his death. A lot of old men never stand around together without getting into an ar gument. In a country town, everybody looks out when the bus goes past. The peple who talk the loudest about it are frequently making but a short journey on the cars.

People in a country town like to talk loud about taking a berth in the “Pullman” when.they go away on the cars. Lots of times a man will study a long time to think of a fool story that is not worth remembering. Lots of delegates to a Farmer’s Congress couldn’t raise beans. It will always look funny to see a male cook reading over a cook book. What has become of the old-fash-ioned barber who used to ask you if you would have a little oil on your hair? Usually the cheapest skate nowadays wears a speckled vest and shoes with cloth tops. Some men are all right till you stit them up on some grievance, and then you can’t shut them off. People getting off the cars at the smallest station frequently take up the most tube. Anybody can hit the nail on the head if he is willing to use a sledge hammer, that is, if he doesn’t care what he says. Folks remember so many things that are wrong. A man is always surprised when the truth works better than a lie. Sometimes a so-called “old family” gets a decidedly fresh son-in-law. Some folks will tell you what others have said about you in order to tell you slyly what they themselves think.