The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-08
CHE Aurfulk; gust.
THURSDAY, MARCH s, 1865.
OUR FAST YOUNG MEN.

| ming Post, under the caption OF "Tne
Clerks of New York; how some of them
live" will apply with equal force to the
young men in other sections. 1t shows
why so many whom the gods love,
grow grey in youth, and die before they
reach middle age:
Nrw YORK, January 81. 1885,
To the Young Mems Christian Associd-
ton of NeW York;. II. MoBW7aey,
Secretary.
"God moves in mysterious way his
wonders TO PERFORM" / feel that your
association, through the grace of God +,
has been the means of saving another
one from a course of life that leads not
only to destruction in this world, but in
the world to come. In one of those ire
| cruiting offices of hell, where they en-
list young men i'm the service of the
deyil,n rs a celebrated divine calls our
fashionable bar rooms, neat card,
hanging near some theatrical bills, at
tracted my attention. On it was printed
"Young Mems Christian Association,
| free reading room and library, strangers
welcomed" &c.
thought what contrast that place
must be to ''gin MILL" and turning
round | said: Harry, come, let's take a
| cocktail to the Young Mems Christian
Association before we CO."
Course the Association says Harry:
| ''give us two Bourbon cocktails, James"
The cocktails made the most Impress
| ion on both of US ut the time. We h ad
been on Jolly old lark" with some
fellow clerks-pretty tight, and aid not
part until late at night, when our stamps
gave out. But your card was before me
all the time, in my sleep, and the next
morning He who doeth all things
welp' directed my steps to you. As soon
as was in your elegant library, l made
up my mind to take the first step of be-
coming Christian man-that is, sign
ing the pledge. l had not tho courage
that day, but the following day signed
it for four years, with feeling of deep
accountability to God for past misdeeds.
Iam proud of that pledge. 1t is a grand
savings bank to me; for as pass my ia
vorite sample rooms in Broadway, feel
I have a safeguard in my pocket in the
| form of solemn pledge, recorded In the
diary of your honorable secretary, whose
prayers in my behalf l believe have
been answered, for my resoluti on grows
stronger every day.
From my past experience you can
| ItdIL Wudt WluC uciU 10 Opcu hcTc Ill
New York for all your Christian efforts.
Like hundreds of other young men
who come to New York to seek q liveIi-
hood, l found myself some ten years
since clerk in one of the largest mercans
| tile houses in this metropolis. We had
an overdorse of night work at that time,
entering goods until past midnight for
six or eight weeks at q time. l noticed
most all the young men took an over
dorse of rum to keep pace with the hours
| was not long in doing the same, and /
believe that three-quarters of our sala-
ries were spent in the theatres and bar
rooms. In dull seasons there would be
a reaction, and we drank to drive away
the "blues." Three Of my fellow book
keepers in tina house now fill drunk
ards graves.
One of the party fell off of steamer
crossing Lake Ontario one stormy night
while on drunken travelling spree.
Another talented young man, brought
up in one ofthe best book houses in Lon
don, posted in all the current literature
of the day, pregnant with the most wit
ty jokes and songs, one could keep a
room full of us in roars of laughter till
past hours of midnight, so full of pro-
mise and advancement in the house we
were engaged in, died a miserable drunk
ard in the workhouse in London. He
was discharged for drunkenness and
reduced to poverty. He o wife and
child in London. We raised SIS for
him in the store, sent $50 to his wife by
steamer, and put him on packet ship
bound for London, passage paid, and a
bag full of the best provisions and whis--
key. l shall not forget the parting on
that packet ship-all of US "three sheets
in the wind.h
Another young man died of "delirium
tremensn in the "Tank,n a so-called
boarding house, where most of the clerks
in my department congregated. Had l
been introduced into your association at
that time l might now be filling a posi-
ton OF high honor and trust.
Twas offered several hundred dollars
to take the position of assistant cashier
in another mercantile house. Then /
was under the tuition of one of the best
bookkeepers in this city--commanding
a salary of 50, 900. He would takea week
his whole duties then on my shoulders.
| was inexperienced; still, il whiskey
had not made me careless also, could
have stepped into his position when he
left. That same gentleman died the
sad death of suicide, and letter left
in his room, where he did the awful
deed, says, "Bury me decently in my
lot in Greenwood. If some kind friend
had taken me by the hand my end
might have been different"
should like to see large coffee. tea
and smoking-roomo connected with
your fine library. Many, many young
men pass their time In the Louvre"
and other low concert saloons only to
kill time in the evenings, who would
gladly come and smoke in the evenings,
where they could enjoy good reading
"without money and without price,"
My next clerkship extended some
three years in distant city. Not hav-
ing so many temptations surrounding
me, [ was comparatively sober. Yet
oftentimes would that Internal liquor
get the master of me, and cause me to
commit acts at which 1 think In my
sober senses Satan himself would blush.
In that house, one Of the principal
members of the firm died of "delirium.u
Other persons were seemingly counting
the same death. Fall brought me back
to New York again. l must say here
that in all my travels know of no place
I like better than Gotham
inexperienced young men flock here
In thousands from all parts Of the coun-
try-leave friends and relatives behind
and their first acquaintance is board
ing house of dissipated young men, and
deceased furniture AroundSt. Johns
Park hundreds of young men are