True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-06-27
DON'T DEPEND ON FATHER.

Otand up mere, young man, ana lct US
talk to you-you have trusted alone to the
contents of Gathers purse" or to his fair
fame for your influence or success in bust
ness. Think you that "father' has at
tanned to cmincncc in his profession but
by unwcaricd industry? or that he has
amassed fortune honestly, without cner-
gy or activity? You should know that
the faculty requisite for the acquiring Of
fame and fortune, is essential to; nay in-
seperAbc from the retaining Of either of
these? Suppose that "father'' has the
'rocks" in abundance; if you never earned
anything for him, you have no more busi-
ness with those "rocks'' than gosling with
tortoise, and if he allows you to meddle
with them till you have earned their value
by your own industry, he pcrpetrates un-
told mischief. And if the old gentleman
is lavish Of lis cash towards you, while he
allows you to idle away your time, you'd
better leave him, yes run away, sooner
than be made an imbecile or scoundrel
through so corrupting an influence. Soon
er Or later you must learn to rely on your
own resources, or you will not be anybody.
fyou had never helped yourself at all, If
you have become idle, if you have eaten
fathers bread and butter, and smoked
fathers cigars, and cut a swell in fathers
buggy, and tried to put on fathers inAu-
cnce and reputation, you might rather have
been poor canal boy, the son of CHM
ney sweep, or boot black-'and indeed We
would not swap with you the situation Of Il
poor, helf-starved motherless calf! Miser-
able objects you are, to depend upon your
parents, playing gentleman, (alias dandy
loafer:) What in the name Of common
sense are you thinking Of. Wake up there!
Go to work with either your hands Or brains
or both, and be something! Don't mere
ly have it to boast of TINT you have grown
in Gathers" house--that you have vegeta-
ted as other grcenhorns! but let folks know
that you count one.
Come, off with your coat, clinch the
saw, the plow-haudle, the scythe, the axe,
the pick-axc, the spade-anything that will
enable you to stir your blood! Fly round
and tear your jacket rather than be the
passive recipient of the old gentleman's
bounty! SOOner. than play the dandy at
dad $ expense hire yourself out to some po-
tatoe patch, let yourself to stop hog-hofes,
or watch the bars; and when you. think
yourself entitled to resting spell doit on
your own hook.-If you have no other
means of having fun Of your own, buy
with your earnings, an empty barrel, and
put your head into it and holler, or getin-
to it and roll down hill; don't for PHYS
sake make the,old gentlemen furnish every
thing, and you live at your ease:
Look about you, you well-dressed smooth
faced, do-nothing drones? Who are they
{ that have wealth and influence in society?
are they those that havedepended alone on
the oldgcnt leman's purse? or are they
those that have climbed their way to their
position by their own industry and cner-
gy? True, the old gentleman's funds, cr
personal influence, may secure you the
, forms Of respect, but let him lose his prop
} erty, or die, and what are you? A mis-
, cradle 1edgling@a bunch ofAesh and bones
that needs to be taken care of.
Again we say, wake up-get up in the
morning-turn round, at least twice before
breakfast-help' the old man-give him
now and then q generous lift in business
= learn how, take the lead and don't depend
! forever on being led, and you have no idea
D how the discipline will benefit you. Do
this; and our word for it,. you will seem to
breathe new atmosphere, possess new
J., frame,. treada new Garth, wake to new
) destiny, and you may then begin to aspire
= to manhood. Take of, then, that ring
$ from your lilly finger, break your cane,
shave your upper lip, wipe your nose, hold
= up your head and by all means, never
again eat the bread fidleness, nor depend.
on vour father