The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-12-27
MY UNCLE,S HANDBoOK.
b" AT or all, young man, there is nothing

It had never nearu the word Trust TO m
experience is the eternal cry OF youth I
!. age. Bus maintain that youth is a hug
dred times better off without it,
;, On hearing this astonishing verdict, fi&
guests, assembled in a drawing>r6om afte
$ bachelor dinmrr looked up with surpris
at the mortal doring to utter heresy s,
= contrary toau received epinioass.
"Still you must admit" replied, after
pause, the speaker, gray-headed officer
that experience is precious talisman
when rightly employed
All, who knows p rejoned the other
who was young man barely fve-and
twenty: "but if not too tedious let me
relate you the history of my own
All signiied their eagerness to listen tC
the exposition Of so strange theory, anG
at length he resumed.
Four years ago, gentlemen, at 9 o clock
in the morning | left my native town fol
the great metropolis. Ny Uncle Thomas
an excellent man, who, from my earliest
recollection, had never lost sight of me
ACCOMPANIED me on the platform, and the
train was on the point of starting, when
graspiug my hand, he exclaimed over and
over again, Good bye, Alfred, good bye
and above all, do not farget my handbook.
Rememember my handbook.
TO explain this, ] mu,: tell you tha:
the day before starting, my uncle called
me into his study and spoke to me as fol-
lows:
- Alfred, | am getting old in years
have house GOO year, 4 nephew, and
the govt. | watch over my house with
order, my means with economy, my gout
with pain, and yourself, my boy, with
pleasure il is nv wish to leave YOU all
| lint Iaf n
ing this. ! wish 10 complete your education
bv some knowledge of London life. GU
shall start Tomorrow by the first train,
and remain in London until ] call you
/ home Combine amusement with instruc-
ton AMI see as much as you can Of the
woild Still, my dear boy, a. London is
! a place where man ought always TO be
on the cuald, have resolved on providing
YOU with arms Take this book II con
i,,ins the fruits OF my long experience. In
il You find Il protection against the snares
that bcset your path i'll the great city (;
there have noted all the observations ac-
/ auired hy a knowledge Of men aud things,
and | have named it my Handbook -
. When YOU have entered on the slippery
/ path which lies before you. take 10 step
without couseling it. Here it IL. You
viii thank me on your return.
Thus it Is, gentlemen, that left by the
! train ut clock, and Why my uncle re-
itera,ed up to the last moment, his press
/ ing recommendations.
You may fancy how ny heart beat tho
/ first time trod the pavements OF Picca-
d.ilv. though could hardly refrain from
! looking for the concealed traps that might
/ lie upon its polished surface. However, |
soon took courage Wha; had the pos
rcsso- Of my Euclc's Handbook TO fear
! from those.
a week had hardly glided BY when,
. thanks to the letter. OF Introduction with
which | had been provided, made my
( l,Ju at q fashionable party.
/ Up 10 the present, see no great mis-
I ro,lunc-,' Interrupted the gray-haired
oEicer
/ :. Patience. the critical moment is a,
hand Amongst those present | had re-
nlarIed fio,a the fist a young nan Of
most prcposscszing appearance-aooutn my
n~n age-psl:s he'd III his manner, and
talented. as his conversation plainly show
ed On his part he seemed equally pleas
cd with myself and, before the evening
was over. We were the bcs: friends in the
world. and II wa. agreed we should dine
tageiacr the next day. However, before
Going further. remembered my uncle
advice. and. on my return home. opened
the famous book at the article Friends.
&c. Fronds. To d~trust London friend
ship Not 10 be too easily lead away 10y
the advances Of strangers. Particularly
shun those Of fascinating manners, seem
TO take q fsucy 10 YOU at first interview.
IS general rule, such are mere adven-
turers, who wait TO borrow money OF you.
Forewarned was forearmed When.
tho next dav. my Insinuating young friend
presented himself al my door, he was told
that had chauged my lcding, leaving no
address
This was No. !.
NV time being my own, had ventur-
cd on few tim.d attempts III literature.
Verses naturally Were among them, an
unpublished volume, and play, as
thought. completely unknown. But things,
somehow. do come to light, hardly know
how; and, one evening al party gave
in my own rooms, ! was asked to repeat
but was oycrrersuadcd. My play and
three sonnets all passed the ordeal.
1T was a perfect triumph compli-
ments, thanks, applause! ! was retiring
to bed in ecstacy, when the inexOrable
hand G k rushed t. my thoughts l
opened it 1T the word Compliments.
commitments it sneeied; never to be
leve one word o! the praises of the world.
True merit never excites anything but en-
vy-the more YOU are praised, the less You
should think Of yourself.
Which means clearly / thought, with
n sigh. tha, am perfect nonenity. My
poor MSS did not take five minutes in
burning.
This was No. ..
Il now turned my thoughts on acquir-
ing wealth. Fortunately merchant, to
" hom had been introduced as a success
ful speculator, had condescended TO ex-
PRESS great appreciation of plan ! had
conceived, and had expressed himself most
kindly towards me- Giving me his card,
he added
Come and see me to morrow; we Will
talk over this together, and as you appear
inteilige.t-thcse are his words. may
he able to get you share in a most lucra
tive affair.
"As | was preparing the next morning
to keep this appointment, a thought cross
ed my mind-I had forgotten to consult
the handbook. | turned over its leaves
impatiently, till l came to the word Bu-
siness.
80 Business. On this point more than
on any other, mistrust is a most necessary
quality. Speculations are double opera
tions-cheat on one side-dupes on the
other Rule without exception. Should
any speculation be proposed to you, deem
it worthless, otherwise 1t would not have
been offered you, as men prefer keeping
the good things of this life to themselves.
"On reading these lines l sincerely
blessed the uncle who had snatched his
nephew from such imminent danger As
for the merchant, I need hardly say that
| never went to his house, but when |
met him accidentally I turned my head
away to avoid recognizing him. A wretch
who lived on dupes,
This was No. 3.