Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-02-20
Things that Do Not Pay.

Things that Do Not Pay.
Il is & common question when some
new speculation is proposed to business
men TO ask. will it pay :" There are
other things, however. than financial spe-
culations Of which the inquiry might be
made. If people, in the multifarious con-
Germs of life, would ask oftener, a will it
pay % it would be better, not only for
themselves personally, but Tor society at
large.
Take an example. A man who has
made little money begins to think it
time he should get into society,"" as the
cant phrase goes. That is, his vanity in.
stigates him 10 cultivate the acquaintance
of set Of fashionable idlers, who live
chiefly for display. spend their entire in
comes for their own selfish qualification.
and affect. ia consequence of these extra
ordinary virtues, to look down on the rest
Of the world. Accordingly. he buys a
carriage, builds fine house. orders ex,
pensive furniture, gives exTavagant par.
ties, cuts his poor relations, and toadies
to these would be aristocrats. AT last,
perhaps, he gains admission into the
exclusive circle. but only to End that he
is no happier than he was before. Often.
or, however, lac becomes bankrupt before
his foothOld is made good, through the
*pendthrift habits in which his silly am
bition has involved him. In either event,
does Il pGys
Another man, even before lie has real
lied any thing. takes notion to turn poll.
ticiau. He has read Of Jefferson and
Adams. has heard Clay and Webster
speak. and fancies it fine thing
thing to be celebrated statesman. He
has occasionally haraugued at debating
society or ward meeting. and has Sc
creE opinion that his talents for public
speaking only need cultivating to shine
with amazing lustre. So he goes into
politics Gradually he ueglects his busi~
ness, Injuries his credit, and loses his GUS
toners. Long before he has achieved
that seat in the federal Senate. which was
at tirst the honest pitch of his ambition, or
even secured any post of honor or profit
whatever, he is comparatively impoverish-
cd if not absolutely bankrupt. His lofty
views having long since been abandoned.
he would now be content even with some
petty Office. But even this he works long
for before he obtains it and he obtains
1t only by becoming party slave. After
ten years of bawling at public meetings,
drinking at low taverns, and degrading
himself till he has no sense Of indepen-
dence left, he finds himself put off with
some paltry place, which yield him small
er income than his former business and
which he is periodically in fear of losing.
This is no fancy sketch. It is the story
of the majority of those who turn politi-
clans. Does it pay
a young man meets a silly, selfish,
stylish, gay, rattling. extravagant girl at
q party. She has already become an
adept in Irritation and is excessively fond
of admiration. Her fine eyes soon made
acouquest of him. Probably after was
ting unheard:of sums in bouquets and
other more costly gifts, he ventures to
propose. and told. with feigned astonish-
ment, that she never thought of him ex-
cept as friend" Possibly he receives a
favorable reply. especially if he is good
looking aud rich, or if the lady is growing
old: but if he marries, he soon discovers
that fashionable coquette makes but a
sorry wife, aud still more worthless
mother. In either case does Il pay
There are those who begin in life with
strong constitutions. high health and uu-
goyernable spirits. The temptation to
enjoy the world leads them into thou.
sand fOllies, sometimes even into vices.
which appear trifies at the time, bat which
sap the constitution like slow and sub
tie poison. They see behind the scenes,
though they make nothing by it. AT
thirty they find that they cannot stand
what they did at twenty-one. AT forty
five, they are almost yaletudinarians, and
at fifty ,prematurely old. Doubtless they
have had what they call good time"
But does 4 pay
We might extend the catalogue. You
give dashing party, are praised for the
dns supper, and settle the next day bills
to scandalous amount. You go to a
great public ball, for which you have to
buy your wife a new dress, aud have q
headache the next day. caused by the
TllIalnous champagne you drank. You
squander so much on summer trip that
you are pinching all the rest of the year.
Does Rpayg Il would be better for eve
ry body if they would look at things as
they are. and end before it is too late
"hether or not they sOi1 pay.-Balt. Sun.
KANSAS Jusrfcr.-A man was recently
arrested in Kansas forsstealing COW and
beegum. The isry.sto facilitate mat
NARa IL,