The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-04-19
DON'T DEPEND ON FATHER,

How many young men of the present day, IN
stead of launching out into the world and earning
livelihood and building up reputation through
their own exertions, as their fathers have done
before them spend their time in idleness if not in
dissipation, and depend upon their fathers even for
the daily bread necessary to proloEg their worth
less existence? To all such drones we would re-
commend the following =
Stand up here, young man, and let us talk to
YOU You have trusted alone to the contents of
fathers purse" on his fair fame for your infu-
enee or success in business. Think you that "tath
err has attained to emnence in his profession but by
| unwearied industry or that he has amassed for
| tune honestly without energy and activity? You
should know that the faculty requisite for the ac
quiring of fame or fortune is essential to- nay, in
separable from, the retaining Of either Of these.
Suppose "father' has the crooks in abundance; if
you never earned anything for him, you have no
more business with these crooks" than gosling
has with tortoise and if he allows you to meddle
with them, he perpetrates untold mischief. And
if the old gentleman is lavish OF his cash toward
you while he allows you to while away your time,
you'd better leave him; yes, run away, sooner than
| be an imbecile, something worse, through SO
corrupt1no an influence Sooner or later you must
! learn to rely on your resources, or you will
| not be ANYBODY. IF YOU have become idle; if you
have eaten "fathers" bread and butter and smoked
''father's" cigars; cut swell in Gathers" buggy,
and tried to put "tather s. influence ana reputa-
ton--you might far better have been a poor canal
boy, the son of chimney-sweep or boot-biack;
and, indeed, we would not swap with you the sit
uation of poor, half-starved, motheress calf !!
Miserable objects you are, that depend entirely
upon parents, playing gentlemen, (dandy loafers,)
| What in the name of common sense are you think
ing of? Wake up there Go to work with eth
or your hands or your brains or both, and be some
thing. Don't merely have it to boast of, that you
have vegetaed othor green-h horns, but let folks
know that you count one Come, off with your coat,
clinch the saw the plow handles, the scythe, the
ak, the pickax, the spade-anything that will ena-
ble you to stir your blood Who are they that
have worth and influence in society? Are they
those that have depended alone on the cid gentle
mans purse or are they those that have climbed
their way to their position by their own industry
and energy? True, the old gentleman's funds
or personal influence may secure you the forms OF
respect, but let him lose his property or die, and
what arc you? A miserable hedgling-a bunch
of flesh and bones that needs to be taken of
Again say, wake up-get up in the morning
turn round at least twice before breakfast
help the old man-give him now and then gener-
Gus lift in business-learn how to take the lead,
and not depend forever on being led, and you
have no idea how the discipline will benefit you.
Do this, and, our word for it, you will seem to
breathe new atmosphere, possess new frame,
tread new earth, wake new destny-and then
you may begin to aspire to manhood. Take off,
them 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 of deness, nor depend on 'father."