Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-08-18
Don't Kill Time.

'Spare copper, sir, I'm starving salt
a poor, half.clad man to gentleman wh'
was fastening homeward through the street,
in the city on bitter cold night. "Sparo
copper, sir, aud God will bless you"
Struck with the poor fellows manner ant
appearance, the gentleman replied
"You look as if you had seen better days
If you will tell me candidly what has beer
your greatest failing through life, I'll give
you enough money to pay your lodging"
II am afraid I could hardly do that" the
beggar answered, with mournful smile.
''Try, man, try" added the gentleman
|''Here's shilling to shal pen your memory
only be sure you speak the truth"
The man pressed the coin tightly in his
hand, and, after thinking for nearly min
ute, said: .r...f.-.
ITO be honest with you, then, believe
my greatest fault has been in learning te
"kill time" When | was youngster,
bad kind, loving parents, who let me dc
pretty much as liked; SO I became idle
and careless, and never once thought of the
change which was in store for me. In the
hope that should one day make my mark
in the World, I was sent to college; but
there I wasted my time in idle dreaming
and expensive amusements. If had been
poor boy, with necessity staring me in the
face, I think I should have done better.-
But I somehow fell into the notion that life
was to be only one continued holiday.
gradually became fond of wine and compa
ny. In few years my parents both died ;
and you can guess the rest. I soon wasted
what little they left me; and now it is too
late to combat my old habits. Yes, sir,
idleness ruined me. :" eef-"
II believe your story" replied the gen.
tleman ''and when get home I will tell
it to my own boys as warning. / am sor-
ry for you; indeed am But it is never
too late to REFORM. Come to my Office to-
morrow, and let me try to inspire you with
fresh courage" 9! si-- saaEtEfi sLE
And giving the man another piece of
money, and indicating where he should be
found, he hurried away .-ai Z.si.4,lss e..
Never ''kill time, boys. He is your
best friend. Use him well. Don't let him
slip through your fingers when you are
young, as the beggar did. The days of your
boyhood are the most precious you will ever
see. The habits you will get into will stick
to you like wax. Ii they are good ones,
life will be pleasure, above all, success,
we mean, true success You may not
grow rich, but your life will be real sue
cess, nevertheless. '~' go 80. -... ~.
If, on the contrary, you waste your early
years. live for fun only, tridc with your OPP
portunities, you will find after while that
your life is a failure-yes, even if you should
be rich as Cresus. ao @oi A
I'd One ofthe saddest things is to meet
man who has let golden opportunities 60 by
him, just entering the battle Of life, yet en-
tirely untitled for his position. He is to be
pitied, and yet blamed. In this favored
land every one can learn to read and write,
70: instance But how often we meet young
men utterly unable to write dozen. lines
without making mistakes! Be assured,
dear young friends, it will be source of
shame to you as men, if you do not pay at
tention to education as boys. =