The state journal., 1874-06-05
The Good Fellow.

We wonder if "rhe Good Fellow" ever
mistrusts his goodness, or realizes how
selfish, how weak, how unprincipled. and
how bad II fellow he truly is. He never
regards the consequences OF his acts as
they relat" 10 others. and especially those
of his family friends. Little fits of gencr-
osity towards them are supposed to atone
for all his misdeeds, while he infiicts upon
them the disgraces. inconvenienccs. and
burdens which attend seliishy dissolute
life. The invitation of II friend, the
taunts of good-natursd boon companions.
the temptations OF Jolly fellowship, these
are enough to overcome all his scruples,
ifhe has any scruples, and to lead him to
ignore all the possible results to those who
love him best, and who must care for him
in sickness ana all the unhappy phases of
his selfish life.
The Good Fellow is notoriously careless
of his family. Any outside friend can
lead him whthcrsocvcr he wil--into de-
bauchery. idleness, vagabondagc. He
can ask II favor. and it is done. He can
invite him into disgrace, and he goes. lie
can direct him into II job of dirty work,
and he straightway undertakes it. He
can tempt him into any indulgence which
lidN Sult HIS NlClOuS " uliiiS. dill ltSSiu-
less of wife. mother, sister, who may he
shortened in their resources so as legiti-
matelv t., claim his protecting hand-.ip-
gardlrss ut honorable father and brother
he will spend his money. waste his time.
and make himself II subject ot constant
and painful nnXiety. or IN nnmiti-alrd
nuiS;,nr" Ia those alone who care II straw
for him What pay does he receive tor
Al. Il. l.
inc considered " Good Fellow" with II
set of men who would not spend II cent
for him if they should see him starving,
and who would laugh over his calamities.
When he dies in the ditch, as he is most
likely to die, they breathe Il sigh over the
swill they drink, and say, "atter all. he
was Il Good Fellow"
The feature of the Good Fellows case
which makes it well nigh hopeless, is, that
he thinks he is Il Good Fellow. lie thinks
that his pliable disposition. his readiness
to do other good fellows IL service. and
his jelly ways, atone for all his faults.
His love of praise is fed by his compan-
ions, and thus his selt-complacency is
nursed. Quite unaware that his good fell
lowship is the result of his weakness; !;
quite unaware that his sacrifice of honor,
and the honor and peace Of his family. for
the sake of outside praise is the offspring
of the most hcartless sellishness, quite I'M
aware that his disregard OF the interests
and feelings of those who are bound to
him by the closest ties of blood, is the de-
monstraton of his utterly unprnciped
character; he carries an unrutlled, or II
jovial front, while hearts bleed or break
around him. OF all the scamps society
knows, the traditional good fellow is the
most despicable. A man who for the sake
of his own selfish delights. or the sake OF
the praise of carc.css or unprinciplcd
friends. makes his home Il scene of anX-
iety and torture, and degrades and dis
graces all who are associated with him in
his home life, is, whether he knows it or
not II brute. If II man can not be loyal
to his hoine, and to those who love him,
then he can not be loyal to anything that
is good There is something mean be-
yond description, in any man who cares
more for anything in this world than the
honor, the confidence, and love of his fam
lily. There is something radically wrong
in such man, and the quicker, and the
more thoroughly he realizes it, in Il hu-
initiation which bends him to the earth in
shame and confusion, the better for him.
ne traultlOAal SOOu 1eilOW Is Il Dau lci-
low from the crown of his head to the sole
of his foot. He is rs weak as II baby, VAIN
us peacock, selfish rs IL pig, and rs un-
principled as thief. ii" has not one re-
deeming trait upon which reasonable
self-respect can he built and braced.
Give us the bad fellow, who stands by
his personal and family honor, who sticks
to his own. who does not '.trcat" his friends
while his home is in need of the money he
wastes, and who gives, himself no indul-
gence of good fellowship ut the expense
OF duty A man with whom the appro-
wing smile ofa wife, or Il mother, or sister,
does not weigh more than thousand crazy
braves of boon companions, isiiust no man
ut all.-Dr. j. g. Holland, IN Scribncr's
for June.