West-Jersey pioneer., 1873-08-01
LEARN TO LABOR AND TO WAIT


The above ada re iss very much dis
carded by large class of the present
generation. Learning to labor like
learning to wait, by them, is a seeming
impossibility. This applies more par
ticularly to the rising generation. Pa
rents frequently instill into the minds
OF their children, the false idea that
labor is degrading; consequently no ex-
pense is spared to procure for theil
sons the many, so called necessities OF
the young men of the period. A young
man residing in the country, after leav-
ing school, spends a few years with his
parents, with no employment whatever;
amusing himself by lounging about, or
otherwise wasting his time. His father
though a hard working man, wishes to
spare his son from manual labor, sup
ports him in idleness. He goes about
the streets, well dressed, amusing him
self at the expense of his school boy
acquaintances, who are acting aserrand
boys, learning trades, or engaged in
labor of some kind His father dies,
leaving him moderate fortune, which
he takes with him, to some of the dis
tant cities, where it is soon squandered
in life Of dissipation. He then has
to turn his attention to labor. The
trade or profession, which in his young
er days, he imagined he could attain
with the attention of but a year or two,
is notas easily acquired as he supposed;
besides, the idea of a trade to his fas-
tidious taste, savors too much of labor.
He sees an advertisement for clerk,
and imagining that such vocation
is more respectable and remunera-
tive, with but little labor, he applies,
but finds that about hundred others
are before him After various efforts,
he at length succeeds in securing a
elerkship; but soon becomes discour-
nged at finding that he is not his own
master. Other clerks, in the same es
tablishment receives higher salaries,
with less labor perhaps to perform
He is not willing to take his place. and
work his way MP; so instead of waiting,
he changes his position. Several years
are spent in this way, when he returns
to his childhood's home. What d
change the years have wrought. The.
little errand boy, ' no was once his
playmate, now stands high in the pro-
fession of the law. Those who We're
then learning the trade, have some OF
them, by close application and their in
tegrity, secured a partnership or entire
interest in the business Others are
merchants While all that he possesses
is fine appearance, pleasing address,
large display of iewelry, and enough
self esteem, to enable him to secure an
entrance into the best society.
It is too often the case that mother
in rearing daughter, has the idea that
II is unladylike for her to labor. Cor
sequently at an early age, the child
conceives' the idee fiat it is an indigni
ty to be asked to assist in washing
dishes, and any of the little household
duties The mother soon becomes a
slave to her slightest whim; doing all
the dr7dgery to spare her daughters
white hands. The daughter grows up
se,1sh and idle If she chooses to at
tend school, she is at liberty to do So
She acquires but poor education, and
what she does learn is chiefly of su-
perfcial character A slight idea of
music and French being among her
accomplishments, to the utter neglect
of the English branches. She has an
intense love of admiration, and may be
seen nearly every pleasant day promo
nading the streets in faultless attire,
made by her mother, who labored on
it at night, after days of hard work; of
course at the suggestion and diction of
the daughter. This young lady enjoys
an afternoon of shopping, and is a ter
ror to the s'dry good clerks of the
neighborhood, who understands her
propensity for admiring articles but
seldom buying. At the age of eighteen
or twenty, she perhaps meets the gen
tleman above described. They. are
each mutually attracted, and consider
themselves deeply in love- They are
tired of the life they have hitherto led,
and imagine they have found their des-
tiny. Again the mother INDUCES the
petted daughter. Preparations are
made for grand wedding. The out
fit is faultlegs; and when the bride
leaves her home she takes with her sub
stantial proof of her parents love and
willing sacrifice in her behalf The
expenses of the bridal trip are even
paid by her parents After a short
time, the well mated pair awaken to
the stern reality that 'all is not gold
that glitters" They each find that the
other lives in little selfish wo-ld
alone, caring nothing for the wants of
others, but requiring attention con
stantly. Such miserable married life
is generally ended b. divorce; each
at last sadly realizing their mistake and
perhaps censuring the too fond parents
for the over7indulgence of their childish
fancies.