Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-04-19
BY W. A. LEE AND HUGH WILSON, JR.
THE AMERICAN BOY.

HSery souno ana neaithy boy born on
American soil, though he may draw his
fisst breath in garret Of, log cabin, is a
richer heir than than the son of Europe
an peer. He is heir to a brave heritage of
freedom, which is not merely an abstract
empty-soundiug term to wind up the "tel-
ling sentences Of Fourth of July speech
but has substantially of meaning and
is synonymous with plenty Of bread and
butter, liberty to speak End think, without
fear of the guillotiue, or of anything else
except the devel; the privilege of putting
finger in the political pie, along with the
wealthiest and most arristocratic of the
land-just as soon as he has numbered
twenty-one years, and the possibility Of be-
coming the President.
No ''father of fine family" need look
despondlngly at the row of little tow heads
around his humble table; for, provided he
teaches them the1most important rudimen,s
of a practical education-to be honest and
to work-he need not fear that they will
ever see the inside of Poor House. A
strong arm, brave heart and cheerful
resolnte spiri, are better guerdons Of sue
cess than purse lined with yellow gold,
or miles of broad acres. With these,
boy under our free skies can fight his way
to fortune. and if he possesses moderate
share Of brains, to social position and to
fame. Let him only keep "heart within
and God o'erbead," and remember the clas-
sic adage "Hoc age" or if lie chance not
to understand dead aHd mummied Ian
guage-which is nothing to his ,liscredit-
let him turn to his Bible and read it's equiv
s'ent in good honest Anglo Saxon-"Wlat-
soever thy hand find.th 10 do, do it with
all'thy heart" Let him draw off his
gloves and undertake with hearty vii
whatever he may find to do. Work is
work, if it be only honest, and he will not
fear to soil his gentii.y when lie remem-
bers the noble precedents Our country can
4east. Ben Franklin the printer, Clay the
mill boy, Webster the plough lad, are not
their names treasured in nations archivesi
and were they but living in this giIdsll age
would not Fugeuie herself bend her haugh
ty head to do them reverence, though their
coat Of arms were a printers case, meal
bag and plough.
Our country affords broad field for the
exercise of talent and industry. She is
becoming selfstfficieht her society no
longer patrasine, drawing its more deli
cate ailmeut from foreign source, is now
tegetatihg on its own broad soil, striking
down It's famif1ed roots and extending them
to every point of the compass, drawing
from every part the sustenance needful for
i.s support.
Talent and industoy Of every kind can
find sphere for its exercise and he paid as
we'll As appreciated; and as. society be-
comes more generally refine, cultivated
tastes wiH:oPen new avenues to geuius and
her hand maidens labor and enterprise.-
The finer and more delicate arts will be
patronized, and literature, painting and
architecture become universal social ne4
cessity. Ours is destined to become a !
se'frel'snt people, depending solely on it's
own ample resources for physical and men,
tal sustenauee, and Towering Ultimately
into Appreciation and beaut 4ncver before
attained BY any nation.