The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-04-03

a Living: 81
While most of the young men of
our country, as far as we can learn,
have nobly yielded to the necessities
OF the times, and are now manfully
engaged in some useful employments,
supporting themselves and assisting
their parents and friends, who have
been suddenly reduced from affiu-
ence to poverty, yet there are a few
still lurking about our cities, towns
and villages, with no visible means of
support, who dress finely, smoke
gracefully, drink deeply, spit furious
ly, talk loudly, laugh outrageously,
and play the gimblet extensively.
They love to gather In market places,
or to stand at the corners of streets
to criticise the girls, or to pass
coarse jest. They luxuriate in street
fights, and will make the welkin ring
with their huzzas over the snarlipgs
OF two tom-cats, or the angry blows
and curses of pair of drunken bull
lies. 10 them d pack of cards is the
emblem of manly sport, and the
black bottle the symbol of social en-
joyment. An ivory-headed yellow
rattan is the pink of neatness, and
with it twirling in their fingers, they
promenade the streets with bob-a-dil
step, keeping time to the tune of
.'Hie Betty Martin-tip-toe fine"
loo lazy to work, too proud to seek
employment, they lounge and whittle
away their precious hours in idleness
or unmanly sports, under the mis-
taken idea that they are only killing
time, when time is only killing them.
"What does that young man do for
a living?" is the inquiry of every one,
as some representative of the above
class of youths passes by with foppish
air and clad in gay costume It is a
natural inquiry, which instinctively
springs from the conviction that men
are so linked together in society that
no one can fail to do his part without
impairing the interests of others to
the full extent of his talents, resources
and influence. No one can divest
himself of the responsibilities. which
his very existence imposes upon him.
He cannot shelter himself behind
system of negative virtues, whose
highest achievement is to harm no
one. He comes into the world with
nature, physical, mental and moral,
so constituted that he cannot cease to
da without ceasing to lice. The
Creator has so interviewer the tissue
OF his being with the fabric of So
clety, that he cannot separate himself
from the common interests of man
Kind. He must obey the inexorable
demands of his nature. He must be
busy among men, and the pursuits of
men, or suffer the penalties which
just nature never fails to execute, and
which she inficts without clemency
and without mercy.
1t is the duty of every one, there
fore, to take some active part on the
stage of life. Some seem to think
they can vegetate, without being
anything in particular-can grow UP,
propagate and rot like the beasts that
perish. But we are not placed here
to pass through the various stages of
life without having done anything for
the benefit of the human race. Each
must fulfill the obligations for which
he was sent into the world. Young
man, society has its claims upon YOU;
each individual man is dependent
upon you, in some degree, for his
prosperity and happiness. The
world, with its various pursuits and
employments, is before you; choose
something-do something-work-
work-wotk
Others seem to think the only pur-
suit in life worthy of their honorable
q ambition is the pursuit of plea
sure. They look upon the world, in
its providential arrangements, as de-
signed to crafty the llsts Of the flesh |
and the pride of life. They reject,
therefore, the graver and nobler pur-
suits of society, and participate in
every species of vice and dissipation
that the perverted ingenuity Of man
can devise. Young man, 'sbe sure
your sin will find you out. 1t is an
irreversible law Of nature, as well as
OF natures God, that she that SOW
eth to the flesh, shall of the flesh
reap corruption Andif, in the dis
pensations of Providence, you should
escape an early grave, miserable old |
age, with its sad experience, will but
verify the declaration of the psalmist:
''Thou makest me to possess the sins
of my youth" Again we repeat, the
world is before you-do something
act we'll your part; and when the in-
quiry is made, "What does that
young man do for iving?" your
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