The University of Hard Knocks

e of Needl

That We

umps we get are

as back at the time when I was trying to run our home to suit myself. I sat in th

amily in his high-chair throne right up beside the din

r to get the coffee-pot. Then I discovered a woman beside me, my mother. She was the most meddlesome wom

how I desired that coffee-pot. "One thing thou lackest," a coffee-po

has that woman to meddle into my affairs all the time? I have st

animously. I know when I got it and I also know where I got it. I got about

o! I can f

white-of-an-egg and starch and anything else the neighbors could think of. They would bring it o

g a Wil

not to get the coffee-pot and then let me get it, knowing that it would burn me. She

mothers

t that this was the most kind and effective way to rear one stubborn boy I know of. The neighbors and the ladies' aid society often said my mother was cruel with that angel child. But

, serve notice upon me, and then let me go ahead and get my

when I disobeyed my mother that a coffee-pot of some kind did not spill upon me, and I got my blisters. Mother did n

Look,

m says to each of us, "Child of humanity, do right, walk in the right path. You will be wiser and happier

o walk in the right path.

seem easier and more attractive. It is so easy to go downwar

ill run itself. Anything that

ath, we get bumped harder

. We are unlucky when we get bumped twice in the

should "stop, look, l

ault. You wasn't born right. You was born under an unlucky star." You don't know how that comf

the lesson of the bump and find the right path, so that when I see that bum

e soothing syrup

an's Fi

study the walk of a blind man? He "pussyfooted" it along so carefully. He bumped his hand against a

to see as well as that blind man? He learns his lesson with one bump, and you have to go

Going Up

pushed. Going upward is overcoming. Notice that churches, schools, lyceums, chautauquas, re

al living is conscious effort

e moving in the line of least resistance, depend up

ls who are carrying the community burdens and pushing upward. Note the multi

the tomorrow of communities that go upward. Majorities are not willing to make the effort to rule themselves. They are content t

The shepherd can lead t

the Pr

fence of goodness into the mystery of the great unknown world

iness where nobody ever found happiness. Their days fill up with disappointm

st get their

dless Knock. Every time! We may not always get bumped on the outside, but we always g

n? You poor old sinner, you have bumped your conscience numb. That is why you have no feelings

so that they will not think upon their ways! How he keeps the music

the Stick

get his Needless Knocks

of his set go over to the flypaper, he goes over, too. He gazes down at his face in the stickiness. "Ah! how pretty I am! This sticky flypaper shows me up better than anything at home. What a fine place to skate. Just see how close I can fly over it and n

ght young life. Afterwhile, tho, he stubs his toe and lands in the stick

ng-minded fly. He can quit it or play in it, just as he pleases. After while he puts two feet down in the stick

d he sits down in the sticky flypaper. It is a fine place to stick around. All his young set of flies are around him. He does like the company. They all feel the same way-t

or a leg. Most of them stay. They just settle

lege of Needless Knock

or "Knoc

f he is guilty. It is the man who does not get discovere

hereas, it has pleased an all-wise Providence to remove," when we might

l of suicide charge