The weekly Butte record., 1861-04-13
The Toll Gate of Life.

spectS IKE the turnpihe-ail along WHICH ' ice
and Folly have erected toll gates for the ac-
commodation of those who choose to call as
they go-and there are very few of all the
hosts of travellers who do not occasionally stop
at some one or the other Of them-and conse-
quently pay more or less to the toll-gatherers.
Pay more or less, | say, because there is
great variety as well in the amount as in the
kind Of toll exacted at these different stopping
places.
Pride and Fashion take heavy tolls of the
purse-many man has become beggar by
paying at these gates; the ordinary rates they
charge are heavy, and the road that way is
none OF the best.
Pleasure offers very smooth, delightful
road in the outset she tempts the traveller
with many fair promises and wins thousands
but she takes without mercy ; like an artful
robber she allures until she gets her victim in
her power, and then strips him of health and
money and turns him of, miserable object
in the worst and most ragged road of life.
Intemperance plays the part of sturdy vii
lain. He's the very worst toll gatherer on the
road. for he not only gets from bis customers
their money and their health, but he robs them
of their very brains. The men you meet on
the road, ragged and ruined in frame and for
tune are his visitors.
And so | might go on enumerating many
others who gather toll of the unwary A cci-
dents sometimes happen, it is true, along the
road, but those who do not get through tolera-
bly, WELL you may be sure have been stopping
by the way at some one of these places. The
plain common sense men, who travel straight
forward, get through the journey without much
difficulty.
This being the state of things, il becomes
every one in the outset, if heintends to make
a comfortable journey, to take care what kind
Of company he keeps in with. We are all apt
to do great deal as our companions do-stop
where they stop, and pay toll where they pay
Then the chances are ten to one against us,
but our choice in this particular decides our
fate
Having paid that respect to choice of
companions, the next important thing is to
closely observe how others manage-to mark
the good or evil that is produced by every
course of life-see how those do who manage
well by these means we learn.
Be careful of your habits; these make the
man. And they require long and careful cul
ture ere they grow to a second nature. Good
habits | speak of. Bad ones are most easily
acquired : they are spontaneous weeds that
flourish rapidly and rankly without care or
culture.
AN EDITOR IN New SUIr.-Mr. Clark
sdtor Of the Kendall Ill) Clarion is man who
loves good joke, and never lets an opportuni-
ty slip that promises dish of fun. Here is
one of his last:
DIsGuIsED.-W have lately got new suit
of clothes, and no man could be more effectually
disguised. We look like gentleman. Upon
first putting them On, we felt like a cat in
strange garret, and for long time thought
we were swapped off.
We went to the house and scared the baby
almost into fits; our wife asked us if we want
ed to see Mr.. Clark and told US that we would
find him at the Office went there, and pretty
soon one of our business men came in with q
strip of paper in his hand He asked if the
editor was in told him we thought not ask
ed him if he wished to see him particularly
said he wanted to pay that bill told him we
didn't believe he'd be in business man left.
We started to the house again; met a cou-
Pile of young ladies f; one of them asked the
other, What handsome stranger is that ?'
10 our dilemma we met friend and told him
who we were, and got him to introduce us TO
our wife, who is now as proud of us as can be.
The next time we get new suit of clothes,
we shall let our wife know of it beforehand.
JAPANESE LITTLE FoLKs.-An American in
Japan writes to the New York Home Journal
as follows
During more thana half years residence in
Japan, | have never seen a quarrel among
young or old. | have never seen blow
struck, scarcely an angry face. / have seen
the children at their sports, flying their kites
on the hills, and no amount of intertangled
strings or kites lodged in the trees provoked
any words or impatience. l have seen them
intent on their games of jackstones and mar
bles under the shaded gateways Of the temples,
but have never seen an approach to quarrel
among them. They are taught implicit ODE
dieEce to their parents, but have never seen
one of them chastised. Respect and reverence
to the aged is universal. A crying child is a
rarity seldom heard or seen. We have nothing
to teach them in this respect out Of our own
abundant civilization. / speak what | know
of the little folks of Japan, for more than any
other foreigner have been among them. OF
all that Japan holds there is nothing | like
half so well as the happy children | shall al
ways remember their sloe black eyes and ruddy
brown faces with pleasure. / have played
battledore with the little madeDs in the street,
and flown kites 10 the fields with as happy
set of boys as one could wish TO see. They
have been my guides in my rambles, shown me
j..