The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-01-29

~f&~a . S"o NAM 66AO TA40i 80
: Whist are you doing Z What are ! you i about Z
Do you intend to make an honest living, to
{ become 2 useful man, respected member of
society, honored while you i've, and regretted
when you dief Or, are you satisfied with being
mere drone;a hanger on, to pick up living.
. little here and little there, honestly OF dis
honestly, no matter how, 50 you rub along I Are
you trying TO ind the philosophers stone, which
in your ease means to live by your wits? Bot
ID Tiff you try that, you will be cure 10 fail for
the want Of capital necessary to carry on bust
ness with. Are you attempting to find out with
how little exertion, how little outlay Of, brain
and muscle it Is possible for man to get along?
Do you want to run the engine without steam!
Or are you like Micawber, that sanguine pater
|.fansilias, waiting for something to turn up p
relation, whom you do not happen to have?
Nay; are you trying to marry fortune, with
wife thrown in; at the same time selling your
self, body and soul, blasting your prospects and
embittering your whole life by becoming mere
footboy, aye, q dog chainer, though it be with q
golden chain -f a.' I'' '-5'. -'' 80
God Almighty has given you two strong arms,
two good legs, though not genius, for which
you ought to be thankful brains sufficient for
all ordinary purposes of life, and health and
| vigor. What more do you want? But, may
be, you think that the world owes you 4 living |?
Just get that notion out Of your head as quick
as you can. The world does not owe you a
single farthing, crumb of bread or anything
else. The world can get along famousy without
you, and, moreover, does not care a pinch of
snuff about you. Better men than you die
every day, every hour, but the world does not
stop for single moment its restless life its
turmoil aud pleasures still 60 on. Prominent
men, leading men, statesmen that control the
affairs Of nations and who with stroke of the
pen inaugurate measures which bring prosperity
or ruin to millions; employers, whose operations
furnish hundreds and thousands with their daily
bread, die others step in their places, and the
world keeps moving Why, the Tycoon died
but the other day, and the Japanese have al
ready put up a new coon. Life is battle. field.
The troops are massed for the charge, the leader
is in front, the word is given, the drums beat, |
the saout is raised, and it is forward the iron
hail plough's through the column the shells
rend it in pieces, men fall on the right and on
tho left whole ranks are stricken down, the
leader disappears, another and again another |
takes his place, and it is still-fo-ward aud |
onward. The world, mankind, is armed host,
its millions are massed in the onward charge, I
the cry of the dying is constantly ringing out, I
the dead are constantly disappearing, but there
is no hesitation, there is no halt, and they that
press on, they that persevere, are crowned with |
the victor's wreath, they obtain the reward |
The reward, though, is not rest, is not idle self
indulgence-but increased ability to tight on /; |
the privilege to lead 10 the foremost ranks to |
become mastermen, to die with the armor on |
midst the noise of the battle, with the happy |
consciousness of having fought tho good fight.
Life is labor religion is work. "My father
worketh always -ers t~ E'5-# .r-' ~ 52 (
May be, you say there is no work for ne I
1t is false. There is plenty TO do. But you |
are too nice about it, too particular, too proud.
You prefer to live in idleuess, to pick up the
crumbs that fall from the rich mans table, to |
consume the hard earnings of your aged father,
your feeble mother, your kind hearted sisters, |
to have soft, white hands, to associate with |
fellows of the same kidney as yourself, and to |
call yourself q gentleman, though no sensible
man or rational woman agrees with you.
Young man never mind poverty-we are all
poor together now-it is honorable but mind
being :rifing, idle, good for nothing. Go to
work, if not at one thing, at another. Young I
men nowadays don't want to begin at the foot 7
of the ladder. Nine out of ten desire to be
merehants-it is 90 genteeL. Their happiness
consists in being clerks in q store and yet We
have too many clerks and too many merchants.
Many of them must before long either stsrve or
turn cannibsls and eat each other up Some of
them are preparing for the last, judging from
the manner in which they deal with the CON-
munity. F 9Tei.1
Young man, learn a trade. A good mechanic
is not apt TO- starve. And there is no position,
no place of usefulness, trust or honor, to which
be may not aspire. Practical men are ir de.
mand. Or, if you prefer it, 60 to work on
farm learn to plow, to NOW, and to reap learn
all about wheat and rye, cotton aud corn study
in the field and the pen swineology, bovology;
learn to say, "come boys" instead of ego boys"
and if you are anything of a man, you will,
before many years pass over your head, have a
homestead of your own. Land is cheap There
is money to be made by farming, yes, and what
is far better, there is health, coutentmeut, hap
piness, holy living aud peaceful dying in it. A
young man was left, when the Confederscy
collapsed, far away from friends and without
means. He had never done q days work, al
ways had what aud done as he wished, and
graduated at the High School of Genteel Indo-
lence. What did be do? He hired himself
to a farmer, ploughed, harvested, nsuled rails,
built fences, in short, made farm hand, and he
liked it. 81 am not afraid of starving--I can
not starve," be once exclaimed as with justi6-
able pride he barred his head 10 the cooling
breeze and looked ont over mans inheritance ~ z
aud Faith whispered, 'sneither shall you" God
blesses him Who obeys the commaudDent-six
days shalt thou labor. s - - - II
Youag man, 60 70 work, and at once. Begin
at the lowest round, nay, at the very foot of the
ladder If you cannot find anything better 10
do, turn the grDdstone for the man who has an
axe to grind. BE economical, saving, abstemious.
LATTE the miilionare, Owed all to having picked r
mp . pin from the floor Of the counting room or