The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-04-18
Goodwill.

Here is a golden saying from the lips
Of A. T. Stewart, O man who in fifty
years amassed more than fifty millions of
dollars
s"I consider honesty and truth rs great
aids in the gaining of fortune. -,
If such man, with such wealth,
should go still further, and make good
will to his fellow men the leading motive
Of his life, what power he might be-
come, and what a halo of glory would
crown his name
All, my boys, what a world it would
; be, if this spirit prevailed in it-if on
every side we met those ready to help
and cheer, instead of being compelled
always to be on our guard against self
ishness and fraud Now, every one can
do. his share toward making his own
little world such world. Ihave known
single brave, manly, generous boy to
; influence q whole school, so that it be-
came noted for it's good manners and
good morals. I have also seen vicious
boy taint whole community of boys
with his bad habits, and set them to
rebbing orchards and birds nests, tor
turing younger children and dumb ami
mails, using bad language and tobacco,
and doing hundred other things which
they foolishly mistake for fun.
Goodwill should begin at home. How
quickly you can tell what sort of spirit
reigns among the boys or in the families
You visit In some houses there is con-
slant warfare; at any time of day, you
hear loud voices and angry disputes.
ss"You snatched my apple and eat it
up!"
"Touch that trap ag'in, Tom Orcutt,
and I'll give ye somethin' ye can't bny
to the 'pothecary's!''
"Ma sha'n't Sam stop pullin' my
hair? He's pulled out six great hand
fuls already"
"He lies ha'nt touched his hair p
"Who's been stealin' my but'nuts p
"Petc shot my arrow into the we'll
and now sha'n't he make me another ?"
Then go into house where you find
peace instead of war, innocent and happy
sports instead of rude, practical jokes
and, oh, what difference
You mayalways tell n boys disposition
by noticing his treatment of his sisters.
A mean and cruel boy delights in tyran-
nizing over smaller children but in the
presence of stronger boys, he can be
civil, and even cringing. A cowardly
fellow like that is pretty sure to exercise
his ill-nature upon the girls Mt home.
Now, I know that many of the boys |
nm talking to have far more goodwill
than they ever show. Their disagreeable
ways are the result of long habit and
want of thought. The spoiled child is
pretty sure to form such ways. He is
accustomed to think only of himself, and
to have others think chiefly of him. That
is the trouble I suspect, with Orson.
Will he, when he reads this, resolve to
break up the old, bad habit, and culti-
vate the Better spirit that is in him?
J. BY goodwill I do not mean simply
good-nature. Good-nature may sit still
and grin. But goodwill is active, EARL
est, cheering, helpful.
All, my boys, T have told you many
stories I have no doubt some OF
you wish I had made this story instead
of Il talk. But the real motive of all my
stories-the lesson I have always wished
to teach in them, but which I am afraid
some of you have overlooked-has been
this which I am trying to impress upon
You now. If I were to write as many
more, the hidden moral lurking in every
one of them would be the same. Or If L
were now to take leave of you forever,
and sum up all I have to say to you in
one last word of love and counsel, that
one word should be-good will.-tS.
NjrIOlUs fOj. ADri