Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-19
Words to the Young.
Vi agazine

| WE try to speak often and wisely to the
| young Of both sexes, and we are often over
| joyed to learn that they appreciate our eff
| forts to interest them. We know that
whatever our nation is to become rests
with the young; that the future of the
| country is in their hands. So we seek to
make the boys and girls sweet and pure
and moral and thoughtful and intelligent.
and find our reward in the fact that the
work which we do in this direction will
live long after we are gone
There is not a man alive today who, if
he tell the truth, will not say that he has
fairly wasted good deal of time which
he might have usefully employed. Young
men and Young women never or rarely
reflect upon these things; but the ref1ec-
ton deepens as years advance We wish
then we could live life over once more. If
this were allowed us how many errors
would we avoid; how many follies would
we surely escape; how many noble deeds
would we do. At middle age we are Just
about ready to begin life in earnest. As
we stand midway between the cradle
and the grave we begin to won
der and regret that we permitted
the days of youth to go by only
half enjoyed. For, the truth is, we do
not really enjoy time which is misspent.
We cannot really say that hours passed in
idleness or dissipation are enjoyed We
are never really happy when we are rot
gaining something. There is, absolutely,
no genuine comfort except in acquisition,
and the supremest joy Of all is found in
the acquisition of useful knowledge.
Our young friends will find it vastly
more agreeable to look back upon the &C
complishment of some useful end than to
take in by backward glance only time
and opportunities thrown away. If every
young man and young woman would de-
termine that they will accomplish some
thing in life the world would move for
ward with wonderful strides toward all
good and great ends. If each boy of
eighteen would say: &c will master a
science or business before | am twenty
ive,' what world we should have about
y
words and will say: II cannot be great.
cannot master anything. I do not know
/ how to begin"
Let us tell you. Begin by mastering
yourself. Begin by being superior to the
rldlcule OF others. Begin by the fixed res
olution-a resolution which you need not
utter, but which you must act upon, new
ertheless-that you will not smoke filthy
tobacco, or put it in your mouth, or touch
1T, any more than you would any other
dangerous or offensive thing. Then de
| clare that you will never touch or taste
certain other poisons, such as arsenic,
brandy, strychnine, wine, prussic acid,
| beer and the like. Some of the poisons
which we have named you will not be
| likely to use; others you will be tempted
! to employ. The ones you are tempted to
use you should avoid more carefully than
the rest. The ones which you are not
| likely to be urged to swallow are no
more dangerous than the more fashionable
| ones; but you are not likely to see them
as often, and so will probably escape their
injurious effects.
You may say that others use some of
the poisons which we have spoken of and
live through it. Of course this is true;
but you are a sensible young person
would you care to read this journal if you
were not?-and you do not wish to imi
tate the dangerous practices of any man
or woman. You have noticed that these
poisons do not always kill, of course.
This is merely because the dose taken has
not been large enough. There is no dis
putting the fact that they are all poisons.
All the opium and all the alcohol in the
world never yet made single pound of
solid, honest flesh.
A young man can do great things in
any direction if he will but set about it
with determination, and industry, and pa
tience. No young man of any sort OF
character will feel willing to be forever
behind in the race for position and honor
and knowledge He would prefer to lead
and not to be led. If he desires to lead
he can do so. 1t rests absolutely with him
to determine the position which he is
to occupy. Earnest endeavor and a right
purpose, good habits, good morals and
good health, clean hands and pure heart
these are the essentials-with these All
things are possible.-HaHs Journal of
Health.