The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-06-04
THE GOOD FELLOW.

We copy the following from Scribne,'s
Monthly, and we ask every man among our
readers, and especially every young man, to
give it careful and thorough perusal. It Is
qcorth it. We have known scores-aye hun
dreds-of young men on the Pacific slope, who
would have been successful and useful men but
for the delusion that they were good fellows.
Pursued by this weak. intatuation, they squan-
dered their substance, and have persisted or
if living, are wrecks and were better dead.
Don't be good fello,s. s...s..
We wonder if "The Good Fellow" ever mis-
trusts his goodness, or realizes how selfish. how
weak, how unprincipled, and how bad a fellow
he truly is. He never regards the consequen-
ces of his acts as they relate to others, and es-
pecially those of his family friends. Little fits
of generosity towards them are supposed to
atone for all his misdeeds, while he inficts up
ON them the disgraces, Inconvenience, and bur-
dens which attend sel6shly dissolute life.
The invitation Of friend, the taunts of good.
natured boon companion, the temptations of
jolly fellowship. these are enough to overcome
all his scruples, if he 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 and all the unhappy phases
Of his selfish life.
The Good Fellow is notoriously careless Of
his family. Any outside friend can lead him
whithersoever he will-into debauchery, idle
ness, vagabondage. He can ask favor, and
it is done. He can invite him into disgrace,
and he goes He can direct him into job of
dirty work. and he straightway undertakes it.
He can tempt him into any indulgence which
may suit his vicious whims, and, regardless OF
-: 1o:c az suhn ho n
their resources so as legitimately to claim his
protecting hand,-regardless of honorable ia
ther and brother,-he will spend his money,
waste his time. and make himself subject Of
constant and painful anxiety, or an unmitigated
nuisance to those alone who care straw for
him. What pay does he receive for this shame.
full sacrifice? The honor of being considered
a. Good Fellow" with set of men who would
not spend cent for him if they should see him
starving, and who would laugh over his calam-
| tiles. When he dies in the ditch, as he is most
likely to die, they breathe sigh over the svvil
they drink, and say, "after all, ne was GOOD
Fellow"
The feature of the Good Fellows case which
makes it well nigh hopeless, is, that he thinks
he is a Good Fellow. He thinks that his plia
BILE disposition, his readiness to do other good
fellows service and his jolly ways, atone for
all his faults His love of praise is fed by his
companions, and thus his selfc0mplacency is
nursed. Quite unaware that his good-fellow-
ship is the result of his weakness; quite una
ware 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 heartiese
sel6shness, quite unaware that nus disregard OF
the interests and feelings of those who are
bound to him by the closest ties of blood, ls
the demonstration of his utterly unprincipled
character: he carries an unruff1ed, or j0vlal
front. while hearts bleed or break around him.
OF all the scamps society knows, the tradition.
al good fellow is the most despicable. A man
who for the sake of his own selfish delights, or
the sake of the praise of careless or unprlncl-
pied friends, makes his home scene OF anxlety
and torture, and degrades and diegraces al
who are associated with him in his home lite.
7 ia, whether he knows it or not, brute. Ii
f man cannot be loyal to his home, and to those
c who love him. then he cannot be loyal to any
Q thing that is good There is something mean
Q beyond description, in any man who cares more
Q for ANYTHING in this world than the honor, the
t confidence. and love of his family. There ls
q somethinp radically wrong in such man. ana
J, the quicker, and the more thoroughly he reaai-
3 yes i. in humiliation which bends him to the
y earth in shame and confusion, the better TOT
Q him. The traditional good fellow is bad tel.
i low from the crown Of his head to the sole Of
h his foot. He is as weak as baby, vain as 9
h peacock, selfish as pig, and as unprinciple.d,
o "a q thief He has not one redeeming tral'
l. upon which reasonable selfrespect can o<
g. built and braced. :.
}, Give us the bad fellow, who stands by hi'
a. personal and family honor. who sticks to hi'
is own who does not treat his friends while nj,
0. home is in need of the money he wastes ane
n who gives himself no indulgence OF good fellow
ship ut the expense Of duty A man with wnou
the approving smile of wife, OF motner, .;
N sister, does not weigh more tnan 'nou.ans =.
is crazy bravos of boon companions 's 'us' -
ID man at all. f..s sss ai.A
I'll -------"-e -,