Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-01-04


perience. What we can do in youth is,
first, TO accept cheerfully the conditions in
which we find ourselves; second, per-
form the duties belonging to them well
and thoroughly, third, direct will and
effort toward improving them, and to
that end improve ourselves.
There ishothing we are. and nothing
we desire to be that will not yield in
finitely more of satisfaction if we prepare
for it by self-cultivation. You, my dear
little reader, are young girl at home,
but oh so anxious to leave it and mix
in the world, or possibly travel, or do
some great good, such as build an asy-
lum, or found libraries, and because
you cannot do these things you will not
do what you can do, relieve your mother
of some Of her cares, teach your younger
sister music, help the boys with their
lessons, act as secretary to your tired
father. be general helper to the whole
family, study French or German, or
Music, or drawing between times, and at
odd moments. Set in the midst Of the
society about which you love to read,
you would feel only awkard and out of
place Their habits, their very language
would be an unknown tongue to you, and
by tho time you became familiar with them
perhaps you would feel that the game
was not worth the candle.
Turned adrift in the Old World your
condition would be still more pitiable.
Thorough enjoyment Of travel. and reali-
zation of its sources of satisfaction come
from familiar study Of the best authors,
the Knowledge of the works. the men,
and women that have preceded us and
made the world what il is to-day. To
TIC lgnorant person, travel is simply the
transfer By railroad, or vessel, or coach
fror Ole country to another. and all are
pretty much alike, or only varying lite
tie their discomforts
To the Instructed man or woman trav-
el il the realization Of dream it is the
coming face to face with unnumbered
ideals it is the meeting Of buried friends !;
it is making one in grand symposium !;
and it is looking from grand height
and listening to the harmonies of the
world, and this is worth preparation.
As for the schemes of bcnevolence
you need not worry about them they
will be done, and better done, than you
could do them, all in good time. and in
the meanwhile as each and all OF these
good things or great opportunities may
come to you, prepare yourself for taking
fullest advantage of them. Resolve at
once to waste no more time, to give
serious thought and attention TO no more
unworthy objects, to cultivate your con-
science. your sense of duty, to make
yourself useful and agreeable at home,
and finally improve yourself in such a
way as to yield the most permanent
pleasure and satisfaction.
Your aims, my restless young lady
reader, are defined and most strictly per-
sonal. You want to be an artist or an
author, or physician. and you see no
reason why you should not astonish the
world, if you only had the chance, which
means if some body would only print
your stories, or your verses, see genius
in your sketches, or give you plenty Of
money; yet as beginning, your writ
ing is hardly legible, your spelling is i'm
perfect, you have not mastered the rudi-
inents OF any art, you display nothing Of
the sacrifcial nature which accompanies
the sacred fire of genius, and know SO
little of the art of healing and living,
that you break the commoDest physiolog-
ical laws every day Of your life.
Take these things into consideration,
resolve to do what you can do, and do
well, remember we live afterward 10
what we have done, not what we vainiy
desire to do.
II is perhaps useless, and might be
considered impertinent to address any
words under this head TO bearded man.
but if there are men among the readers
of this brief chapter, little reflection
and good intention as the result Of it
will do them no harm on the eve of the
New Year, and perhaps they will indulge
in little retrospect as well.
Have you done and are you doing TO
every one, your wife for example. as you
would have her do to you? Do you con-
suit her inclinations, and crafty her
tastes as far as your means will permit
Do you appreciate the value Of home,
and family life, and try to make ii as
pleasant and happy as possible /? Do you
realize that in your children, in the acts
Of your daily life. you are building up
memorial stone, which will tell those
who never saw you what matter Of man
you were? Have you permitted your
ambition to do this, or achieve that. get
the best Of your manhood, and induce
you TO sacrifice the happiness, perhaps
the health Of your wife, the future Of
your children, the welfare Of the whole
family, and the influence witch il ought
to exercise in the community. TO your
personal desire TO speculate. spend money,
own lands, or bonds. obtain Office, or
achieve some other individual object?
A very little thought will teach you
whether you have sacrificed the greater
10 the lesser in these ways, and IL you
have hope the New Year will End You
man enough 10 own up at least TO your
self, and see 6rm determination TO act
with more equal justice. with more honor,
with more manliness, with more humani-
~.
To the woman. the wife. and the
mother, what shall say that has not
been said. and better said. many times
Byron said that two books constituted
woman's library truly two words
constitute her vocabulary--Dpty and