The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-10-25
PLAIN WORDS WITH TIE BIG BOYS
BY REV. ALFRED TAYLOR.

Come, boys, let us have a few plain
ta!ks-not sermons, nor lectures, nor es
says, nor treatises, but talks with such
org boys as may want to take part in them
The Big Boys are not all dead yet. True
some of them have turned into "gentle-
men" before their time and there are
others who will look off in another direc-
tion if they hear anybody called "Boy p'
1t is no disgrace to be, or to have been,
a boy and the male human being who
tries to jump into manhood, skipping the
boy part Of his existense, is sure to make
a stilted entrance into a sort of foppish
gentility, in which the fine gentleman is
so much thought Of that the true men is
forgotten.
Our talk just now will be about
"wHAT ARE YOU GOOD FOR 2"
[ was talking with a rich man about
his son, who had asked me to get him a
situation as clerk The old gentleman
seemed inclined to say very little about
the lad, but remarked, "He won't suit
he won't suit" Anxious to know why
ne wouldn't suit | asked what was the
matter with him. "Matter?" said the
old gentleman, 'what's the matter with
him? Why, he isn't good fer anything
-that't what's TIE matter with him and
[ tell you. wouldn't give a sixpence
for wagon load of such fellows" Hu-
initiating as it was for the gruf old man
to growl out such description of his own
son, it was perfect photograph Of the
youngsters character Good for nothing.
Educated to look for fortune at his faith
er's death, but not Taught the first par
ticle OF duty as to managing it SO as to
make himself useful with it, the idle fe,-
low was so good for nothing that no decent
business man would care about having
him in his establishment But was he
not good for anything at all? Yes-he
was good for a customer to the dealers in
fine boots, hats, and clothing to the sell
lers of tobacco, and perhaps of "fancy
drinks" to the men at whose billiard ia
bles he spent his fathers money. He
could dance nicely; he could take the
girls who had no better sense than to go
with such an empty-head, to church, to
the opera and to walk along the street
He could gracefully wear an elegant stove
pipe hat, nicely fitting clothes Of most
fashionable cut, and shiny boots of such
exquisite fit as to pinch bis toes and raise
a larger "corn-crop" on his tender feet
than ever he will raise by hand work in
tilling the earth, or by brain work in di-
recting others in agriculture. Some day
his father will die, and some stupid girl
who is looking out for rich husband,
will marry this inefficient bit of humanity,
and then they will either ''liye happily
all their days." or else-not.
Another case of good othing =
The morning l heard feeble, hesitatiDg
rap at my study door, like the rap of a
beggar, or man who wants to buy old
clothes. As soon as 7 said "Comc in" a
shabby genteel- looking young man meek
ly stepped in and handed me well-worn
paper The paper was from distinguish
ed clergyman, and certified that the bear
err, the son of deceased clergyman, was
out of occupation, and, as he unfortunate
ly had never been taught a trade, or any
means of earning livelihood, was now,
with his family, dependent on the kind
ness of those who might give him work,
or otherwise contribute to his support
"What kind of work can you do?" "Well
nothing in particular" "What would
you like to try? az don't know" "Is
there any kind of business that you un-
derstand 2" ono" Poor fellow Wife and
two or three children dependent on "his
exertions" Mechanics, copyis;s, labor
ers, skilled and unskilled, needed at good
wages, in every department of industry
but no place vacant for the man who
don't know how to do anything" A.
way he goes on his weary rounds, with
his thumbed paper, a sauntering monu
ment to the neglect of his parents to teach
him, or to his own negligence in failing
to learn something to make him self
supporting member Of society. Hardly
nybody will turn him away without CIV
ing him, at last, little aims; but what
pity it is that young man who mlgh'
be doing something useful, can not, just
because he "don't know how !!
These two cases are widely different
but the result is the same. One young
man. probably little dissipated, with the
prospect of becoming considerably more
so the other pious, and, very likely, real
lly doing the best he knows how to do
Put a ship load Of such folks on an leland
no matter how fertile, and the whole com
papy would soon starve to death and be-
come food for the more energetic carriou
crows.
Now, boys, are you good for something
useful What can you do! What are
you looking forward to? 1t may seem
ine to be born "with a golden spoon IN
your month !" but if you indolently slt
with the spoon there neither you nor the
spoon will make any useful stir in thi
world, and the world will be no better foi
your having been born into 1t. 1t IS
lfayorite notion of some very large SIZED
boys, that in our free country one BOY na'