Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1858-11-11
For the Port Tobacco Times.
TO YOUNG MEN.
BY JUNIUS.

BY
As the days shorten the nights grow long
er. And when the days work is done and
the mantle of night is thrown over the face OF
the earth, how are you designing to spend
your time before going to bed? You will
not we suppose resort to bed and slumber at
an earlier hour than II o'clock, and your
evening meal will have been finished at least
by 7 o'clock, thus leaving four hours for
which some employment must be found
Now then the question arises, How will you
spend these four hours? "Why," says one,
II will walk over to my friends room and
join him in smoke;;' says another. II will
have a couple or three friends call and join
in game of cards." and yet another an
swers, Il will walk down to the hotel, and
join in conversation, and by this means not
only hear the general news of the day but
improve my mind by listening to the COM
ments upon various subjects as given by
others. am not able to take the papers,
and if was, have not time to read them.
have to work hard all day and when night
comes feel like taking some recreation"
Now you have all spoken out, let us see
how your views accord with reason: First,
you who smoke with your friend, what have
you done towards fitting yourself for the high
station of an American citizen? Nothing.
You who take game of cards? Nothing.
You who frequent the hotel? I answer
nothing, and will show it you.
In regard of general news, what have
you learned? Why, all the gossip of the
neighborhood and perhaps (mark the word)
a faint and smattering idea of few general
items. Now then, where is your gain p
"Oh," you say, Il am at least better off
than the first two classes Perhaps so !;
but their error does not make you right;
you have all three wasted-how much
time? Did you ever think? Well let us
see, four hours each night is twenty four
hours week. and allowing twenty weeks to
be thus spent annually, and you have four
hundred and eighty hours lost, and these
coming SO disjointedly that every moment
of them may be improved without single
minute deducted for recreation, meals or
sleep. Thus, indeed, is four hundred and
eighty clear hours, and not in the whole five
minutes of loss, thrown away in one winter
So much for the first two classes. And
now sir, for you of the third class. What
else have you been doing besides hearing
news? Well sir, I have noticed that at
least once a week you have spent at the
bar the triAing sum of Is cents. "Well
this is not much for whole week, when a
man has to work hard for it." Grant it,
but how much is this in one winter, pre-
suming that you do not exceed it. Let us
see-20 weeks at IS cents week is Just
fifteen dollars, and yet you are not able to
take a newspaper. Now let us see what
can be done with this $l5. You can sub
scribe to daily and weekly newspaper and
the best monthly magazine published, pay
the postage on them and have some left to
purchase a few useful books of science,
which you may study to infinite advantage
during the four hours of the long winter
evening, and thus for no more money enrich
your mind and lay up that treasure which
''moth nor rust can Destroy" And SO for
winter after winter you can go on so-im-
prove till you at last find yourself fitted for
almost any position in which you may be
placed.
Have you ever thought, young man. of
all this waste Of time-and precious time at
that? Have you ever thought of the many
real pleasures you. miss by the pursuit Of
imaginary pleasure? Then if you have
not, begin now to think, and warrant if
you once begin, to think you will soon begin
to act, and, acting. act Alright
But work hard all day and I do not
feel like reading at night; besides, one
must have some recreation" We will an
swer this in another paper, till which, adieu.