The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1872-02-07
O U r 30 IS +.

the habits of dissipation-their
lounging around tippling-houses--
their cock-fghting and promiscuous
gambling-and their generally
loose ideas about morality. Why
is it that in this land of bitles
ministers, churches and schools.
there is SO little morality in tn
young gentry Of the period? In
this town, for example, we can show
precocious examples of boys with
habits and vices which would hor
rify some of our etaid old farmers.
who in their simplicity it may be,
good and easy sOuls, are dreaming
of the time when their boys will
appear in the county seat as law
yer. doctor or merchant, never once
thinking that the boys should be
come farmers or mechanics No.
not for the world these last two
There seems to be snch fascination
about the way in which a smart
town urchln carries himself, TINT
even our beat and most solid citi-
zens srs captivated and never rest
satisfied until their sprouts have a
double barrelcd brcech loading gun,
a pointer dog and corduroy coat,
vest and pants-the last cram N ed
cavalierly in the lads boots. This
begets idleness-idleneRs begets
hatred and contempt for honest
work-this last begets drinking
and drinking is the prolific moth
err Of all the evils which now curse
our town and county. We know
men who have achieved fortunes by
following we'll and late some me
chanical avOcation, who to-day dis
dain to see their hopeful offspring
anything but gentlemen of leisure
or doctors or lawyers What j.
there in money that turns a man,
who has come up from the dirt, u
fool when he has become old
and rich ? This class of men scorn
to see their sons do the very things
which they confess wrought out
their own characters on a solid basis
and filed their pockets with mon
ey. Thus parents, by foolish in
diligence, are teaching their chill
dren to become drones in society
and in all probability aiding them
in bringing their own heads in sor-
row to the grave.
We know of one instance in
point which breaches lesson more
powerful than tongue or pen. Some
fifteen years ago a woman was lett
a widow with a family of children.
boys and girls. The boys were put
out to trades and learned them
well. The girls sewed and taught
school, and thereby became indie
pendent. To-day the boys arr
men Of the highest standing in
their different pursuits. and the
women brave, noble and induslri-
Gus, and above all, perfectly indie
pendent. About the same time
another family started in q different
direction, with wealth and plenty
The boys became gentlemen Of
leisure, and ars now drunkaris
and the girls are lazy. sloveuly.
and Il perfect drag upon the father
who is on the very verge Of bank
ruptcy. The boys are Il nuisance.
and u man would as soon think Of
marrying an inmate OF the lunatic
asylum as one Of these indolent and
thriftIess daughters
Our notions OF labor are radically
wrong. The pillow, the anvil and
the hoe-the plane, jack knife and
Iast-are EN- b'ems of servitude.
and we poor fools are bringing up
our children without habits or
thoughts Of work and of indepen
dence. All the crimes which now
curse every neighborhood in this
county can be traced to contempt
of labor and a free use Of whisky. |
Men-soiid men-are too lax in
their examples. We can point to
you daily examples of mem bers Of |
the different churches in town and |
in the country, visiting tipping |
houses and drinking their drains
They don't seem to
blink that any one sees them
perhaps don't care. They certain
y do not reflect upon what a hor-
id example they are setting by
his open and boId-faced profana
ion. They forget that the eyes Of
ii men are on them, and, above
II, that the sleepIess Eye of Jeho-
'ah ever rests upon them! How
an the Press and the Pulpit wage
successful war with sin and crime
Vhen in this town, and in every
in this county, mem
ers of churches, and men high in
ublic esteem, patronize these tip
ling bells, and in some instances
etually vend the liquid damna-
ion out to thirsting crowd
The time has come when the