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Entered according to Act of Congress, in Junc, 1867, by J. W. Burke & Cos., in the Clork’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia.
Vol. I.
*• KNOCK AGAIN.”
REMEMBER having been
sent, when I was a little
boy, with a message from
my father to a particular
friend of his, who resided
*2B fj in the suburbs of the town in which
my parents then lived. —
M/jol This gentleman occupied
Jw an old-fashioned house,
the door of which was approach
ed by a broad flight of stone
steps of a semi-circular form.
The brass knocker was an object
of much interest to me in those
days, for the whim of the maker
had led him to give it the shape
of an elephant’s head, the trunk
of the animal being the move
able portion.
Away, then, I scampered in
great haste, and having reached
the house, ran up tho stone steps
as usual, and seizing the ele
phant’s trunk, made the house
re-echo to my knocking. No an
swer was returned. At this my
astonishment was considerable,
as servants, in the times I write
of, were more alert and attentive
than they arc at present. How
ever, T knocked a second time,
no one came. At this I was
much more surprised. I looked
at the house. It presented no
appearance of a deserted one. Some of
the windows were open to admit the fresh
air , l° r it was summer; others of them
were closed; but all had the aspect of an
inhabited dwelling.
I looked around to see if any one was
near who could advise me how to act. —
Immediately a venerable old gentleman,
whom I had never seen before, came
across the way, and looking kindly in
m y hice, advised me to “ knock again.”
MACON, GrA., OCTOBER 5, 1867.
I did so, and presently the door was
opened, and I delivered my message. I
subsequently learned that the sorvants
were employed in moving a heavy piece
of furniture, which required their united
strength, and prevented them from open
ing the door sooner.
As I was tripping lightly homeward, I
jf _j il pffljfjfo j
passed the kind old gentleman in the
street. He took me gently by the arm,
and said, as we walked on together:
“ The incident, my little friend, which
has just occurred may be of some use to
you in after life, if it be suitably improv
ed. Young people are generally very en
thusiastic in all their undertakings, and
are, at the same time, very easily discour
aged. Learn from what has taken place
O t
this morning to persevere in the business
which you have commenced, provided it
bo laudable in itself, and ten chances to
one you will succeed. If you do not at
first obtain what you aim at block again.
A door may be opened wnen you least
expect it.
“In entering on the practice of a pro
fession, engaging in trade, or what is
called starting in the world,
young people often meet with
great disappointments. Friends
from whom they naturally ex
pected employment not unfre
quently prefer others in the same
line, and even professors of reli
gion do not seem to consider it
a duty to promote the temporal
interests of their brethren. Nev
ertheless, industry, sobriety and
patience are usually accompanied
by the Divine blessing. Should
you, therefore, my little friend,
ever experience disappointment
of this kind, think of tho brass
knocker, and knock again. Bo
sober, be diligent, and your la
bors will be blessed.
“ In the pursuit of knowledge
many difficulties are encounter
ed. These the studont must ex
pect to meet; but he must not
relinquish the investigation of
truth because it seems to elud#
his search. He may knock at
the gate of science, and apparent
ly without being heard, but let
him knock again , and he will find an en
trance.''
The Very Place.—” Where was John
Rogers burned to deal h > asked the teach
er, in a commanding \ nice.
“Joshua kno -a 1
1 iie O '
•‘Well,” said the t cue nor, •• i? Jo.no'm
knows lie may tell."
.. 1,, tv!w fV'-h ” - '’ ’ ■ '
No. 14.