the university of hard knocks-第5章

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ds　more　than　tables　of　logarithms。　Only　those　who　have　suffered　can　sympathize。　They　are　to　become　a　precious　part　of　our　population。　The　world　needs　them　more　than　libraries　and　foundations。




The　Silver　Lining


There　is　no　backward　step　in　life。　Whatever　experiences　come　to　us　are　truly　new　chapters　of　our　education　if　we　are　willing　to　learn　them。

We　think　this　is　true　of　the　good　things　that　come　to　us；　but　we　do　not　want　to　think　so　of　the　bad　things。　Yet　we　grow　more　in　lean　years　than　in　fat　years。　In　fat　years　we　put　it　in　our　pockets。　In　lean　years　we　put　it　in　our　hearts。　Material　and　spiritual　prosperity　do　not　often　travel　hand…in…hand。　When　we　become　materially　very　prosperous；　so　many　of　us　begin　to　say；　〃Is　not　this　Babylon　that　I　have　builded？〃　And　about　that　time　there　comes　some　handwriting　on　the　wall　and　a　bump　to　save　us。

Think　of　what　might　happen　to　you　today。　Your　home　might　burn。　We　don't　want　your　home　to　burn；　but　somebody's　home　is　burning　just　now。　A　conflagration　might　sweep　your　town　from　the　map。　Your　business　might　wreck。　Your　fortune　might　be　swept　away。　Your　good　name　might　be　tarnished。　Bereavement　might　take　from　you　the　one　you　love　most。

You　would　never　know　how　many　real　friends　you　have　until　then。　But　look　out！　Some　of　your　friends　would　say；　〃I　am　so　sorry　for　you。　You　are　down　and　out。〃　Do　not　believe　that　you　are　down　and　out；　for　it　is　not　true。　The　old　enemy　of　humanity　wants　you　to　believe　you　are　down　and　out。　He　wants　you　to　sympathize　with　yourself。　You　are　never　down　and　out！

The　truth　is；　another　chapter　of　your　real　education　has　been　opened。　Will　you　read　the　lesson　of　the　Needful　Knocks？

A　great　conflagration；　a　cyclone；　a　railroad　wreck；　an　epidemic　or　other　public　disaster　brings　sympathy；　bravery；　brotherhood　and　love　in　its　wake。

There　is　a　silver　lining　to　every　hard　knocks　cloud。

Out　of　the　trenches　of　the　Great　War　come　nations　chastened　by　sacrifice　and　purged　of　their　dross。



Chapter　IV

〃Shake　The　Barrel〃

How　We　Decide　Our　Destinies


NOW　as　we　learn　the　lessons　of　the　Needless　and　the　Needful　Knocks；　we　get　wisdom；　understanding；　happiness；　strength；　success　and　greatness。　We　go　up　in　life。　We　become　educated。　Let　me　bring　you　a　picture　of　it。

One　day　the　train　stopped　at　a　station　to　take　water。　Beside　the　track　was　a　grocery　with　a　row　of　barrels　of　apples　in　front。　There　was　one　barrel　full　of　big；　red；　fat　apples。　I　rushed　over　and　got　a　sack　of　the　big；　red；　fat　apples。　Later　as　the　train　was　under　way；　I　looked　in　the　sack　and　discovered　there　was　not　a　big；　red；　fat　apple　there。

All　I　could　figure　out　was　that　there　was　only　one　layer　of　the　big；　red；　fat　apples　on　the　top；　and　the　groceryman；　not　desiring　to　spoil　his　sign；　had　reached　down　under　the　top　layer。　He　must　have　reached　to　the　bottom；　for　he　gave　me　the　worst　mess　of　runts　and　windfalls　I　ever　saw　in　one　sack。　The　things　I　said　about　the　grocery　business　must　have　kept　the　recording　angel　busy。

Then　I　calmed　down。　Did　the　groceryman　do　that　on　purpose？　Does　the　groceryman　ever　put　the　big　apples　on　top　and　the　little　ones　down　underneath？

Do　you？　Is　there　a　groceryman　in　the　audience？

Man　of　sorrows；　you　have　been　slandered。　It　never　occurred　to　me　until　that　day　on　the　train　that　the　groceryman　does　not　put　the　big　ones　on　top　and　the　little　ones　down　underneath。　He　does　not　need　to　do　it。　It　does　itself。　It　is　the　shaking　of　the　barrel　that　pushes　the　big　ones　up　and　the　little　ones　down。




Shake　to　Their　Places


You　laugh？　You　don't　believe　that？　Maybe　your　roads　are　so　good　and　smooth　that　things　do　not　shake　on　the　road　to　town。　But　back　in　the　Black　Swamp　of　Ohio　we　had　corduroy　roads。　Did　you　ever　see　a　corduroy　road？　It　was　a　layer　of　logs　in　the　mud。　Riding　over　it　was　the　poetry　of　motion！　The　wagon　〃hit　the　high　spots。〃　And　as　I　hauled　a　wagon…bed　full　of　apples　to　the　cider…mill　over　a　corduroy　road；　the　apples　sorted　out　by　the　jolting。　The　big　apples　would　try　to　get　to　the　top。　The　little；　runty　apples　would　try　to　hold　a　mass　meeting　at　the　bottom。

I　saw　that　for　thirty　years　before　I　saw　it。　Did　you　ever　notice　how　long　you　have　to　see　most　things　before　you　see　them？　I　saw　that　when　I　played　marbles。　The　big　marbles　would　shake　to　the　top　of　my　pocket　and　the　little　ones　would　rattle　down　to　the　bottom。

You　children　try　that　tomorrow。　Do　not　wait　thirty　years　to　learn　that　the　big　ones　shake　up　and　the　little　ones　shake　down。　Put　some　big　ones　and　some　little　things　of　about　the　same　density　in　a　box　or　other　container　and　shake　them。　You　will　see　the　larger　things　shake　upward　and　the　smaller　shake　downward。　You　will　see　every　thing　shake　to　the　place　its　size　determines。　A　little　larger　one　shakes　a　little　higher；　and　a　little　smaller　one　a　little　lower。

When　things　find　their　place；　you　can　shake　on　till　doomsday；　but　you　cannot　change　the　place　of　one　of　the　objects。

Mix　them　up　again　and　shake。　Watch　them　all　shake　back　as　they　were　before；　the　largest　on　top　and　the　smallest　at　the　bottom。




Lectures　in　Cans


At　this　place　the　lecturer　exhibits　a　glass　jar　more　than　half…filled　with　small　white　beans　and　a　few　walnuts。


Let　us　try　that　right　on　the　platform。　Here　is　a　glass　jar　and　inside　of　it　you　see　two　sizes　of　objectsa　lot　of　little　white　beans　and　some　walnuts。　You　will　pardon　me　for　bringing　such　a　simple　and　crude　apparatus　before　you　in　a　lecture；　but　I　ask　your　forbearance。　I　am　discovering　that　we　can　hear　faster　thru　the　eye　than　thru　the　ear。　I　want　to　make　this　so　vivid　that　you　will　never　forget　it；　and　I　do　not　want　these　young　people　to　live　thirty　years　before　they　see　it。

If　there　are　sermons　in　stones；　there　must　be　lectures　in　cans。　This　is　a　canned　lecture。　Let　the　can　talk　to　you　awhile。

You　note　as　I　shake　the　jar　the　little　beans　quickly　settle　down　and　the　big　walnuts　shake　up。　Not　one　bean　asks；　〃Which　way　do　I　go？〃　Not　one　walnut　asks；　〃Which　way　do　I　go？〃　Each　one　automatically　goes　the　right　way。　The　little　ones　go　down　and　the　big　ones　go　up。

Note　that　I　mix　them　all　up　and　then　shake。　Note　that　they　arrange　themselves　just　as　they　were　before。

Suppose　those　objects　could　talk。　I　think　I　hear　that　littlest　bean　down　in　the　bottom　saying；　〃Help　me！　Help　me！　I　am　so　unfortunate　and　low　down。　I　never　had　no　chance　like　them　big　ones　up　there。　Help　me　up。〃

I　say；　〃Yes；　you　little　bean；　I'll　help　you。〃　So　I　lift　him　up　to　the　top。　See！　I　have　boosted　him。　I　have　uplifted　him。

See；　the　can　shakes。　Back　to　the　bottom　shakes　the　little　bean。　And　I　hear　him　say；　〃King's　ex！　I　slipped。　Try　that　again　and　I'll　stay　on　top。〃　So　I　put　him　back　again　on　top。

The　can　shakes。　The　little　bean　again　shakes　back　to　the　bottom。　He　is　too　small　to　stay　up。　He　cannot　stand　prosperity。

Then　I　hear　Little　Bean　say；　〃Well；　if　I　cannot　get　to　the　top；　you　make　them　big　ones　come　down。　Give　every　one　an　equal　chance。〃

So　I　say；　〃Yes；　sir；　Little　Bean。　Here；　you　big　ones　on　top；　get　down。　You　Big　Nuts　get　right　down　there　on　a　level　with　Little　Bean！〃　And　you　see　I　put　them　down。

But　I　shake　the　can；　and　the　big　ones　go　right　back　to　the　top　with　the　same　shakes　that　send　the　little　ones　back　to　the　bottom。

There　is　only　one　way　for　those　objects　to　change　their　place　in　the　can。　Lifting　them　up　or　putting　them　down　will　not　do　it。　But　change　their　size！

Equality　of　position　demands　quality　of　size。　Let　the　little　one　grow　bigger　and　he　will　shake　up。　Let　the　big　one　grow　smaller　and　he　will　shake　down。




The　Shaking　Barrel　of　Life


O；　fellow　apples！　We　are　all　apples　in　the　barrel　of　life　on　the　way　to　the　market　place　of　the　future。　It　is　a　corduroy　road　and　the　barrel　shakes　all　the　time。

In　the　barrel　are　big　apples；　little　apples；　freckled　apples；　speckled　apples；　green　apples；　and　dried　apples。　A　bad　boy　on　the　front　row　shouted　the　other　night；　〃And　rotten　apples！〃

In　other　words；　all　the　people　of　the　world　are　in　the　great　barrel　of　life。　That　barrel　is　shaking　all　the　time。　Every　community　is　shaking；　every　place　is　shaking。　The　offices；　the　shops；　the　stores；　the　schools；　the　pulpits；　the　homesevery　place　where　w