Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-12-31
Burdett's Advice
TO YOUNG MEN WHO ARE AFRAID o
WORKING THEMSELVES TO DEATH.

10 YOUNG MEN WHO ARE AFRAID OF
WORKING THEMSELVES TO DEATH.
And then remember, my son, you have
to work. Whether you handle a pick or
Il pen, wheelharrow or Il set of books,
digging bitches or editing paper, ring
ing an auction bell OF writing funny
things, you must work. you will look
around you, you will see that the men who
are most able to work are the men who
work the hardest. Don't be afraid OF
killing yourself with overwork, son. 1t is
beyond your power to do that on the sun
ny side of thirty. They die sometimes,
but it's because they quit work at 6 P. NJ,
and don't get home till 2 A. NJ. It's the
intervals that kill, my son. The work
gives you an appetite for your meals, it
lends solidity to your slumber, it gives
you perfect and grateful appreciation of
a holiday. There are young men who do
not work, my son; young men who make
living by sucking the end of a cane
whose entire mental development is in.
sufficient to tell them which side of a
postage stamp to lick; young men who
can tie necktie in eleven different knots,
and never lay a wrinkle in it. ard then
would get into West Hill street car to &c
to Chicago; who can spend more money
| in day than you can earn in 4 month, son
and who will 90 to the sheritf's to buy u
postal card, and then apply at the office of
the street commissioner for marriage
license. But the world is nos proud OF
them, my son. 1t does not know theiI
name, even; itsimply speaks of them as
old so-aEd-so's boys. Nobody likes them
. ba L,,sr yuDrlJ ,upT,IJv Bpnuy tba,,
are there, at the great day of resurrection
| if they do not appear at the sound of the
trumpet, and they certainly will not, un-
less some one tells them what it is for and
what to do. don't think Gabriel will miss
them, or notice their absence, and they
will not be sent for or disturbed. Things
will 90 on Just as well without them. St
find out what you want to be and do, son
and take off your coat and make a dust in
the world. The buster you are the less
deviltry you will be apt to get into, the
sweeter will be your sleep, the brig htel
and happier your holidays, and the better
satisfied you will be with yourself.
No, my son, the world does not owe
you living The world don't need you
yet-you need the world Ifyou can con
vince the world that you are necessary to
its well-being, its happiness, its pleasure
its moral existence, then the world will be
Gin to claim you and make room for yor
in the body pews, with the softest cushions
and the easiest footstool. But don't fil
into the common error of supposing the
world owes you living. 1t does not owe
you anything of the kind. The world is
not responsible for your being. 1t didn't
send for you, it never asked you to come
here, and in no sense is it obliged to sup
port you now thet you are here. Youl
| living is here-a good comfortable living
Plenty to eat, plenty to wear, an abun-
dance of good, healthful, hard work, rip
Piles of laughter and sprinkles of tears
hours of happiness and moments of heart
ache. days of labor and nights of rest, du
ties to be performed and rewards to be
won it is all here, son-disappointments
struggles, success and honors, but The
world doesn't owe you one of them; no
one You cant collect your living as you
would II debt, by simply presenting
your bill, or giving your lawyer the
account to sue, You have TO work for it
son. and work like Trojan, too. Wher
you hear man say the world owes him {
living and he is going to have it. make uE
your mind that he is just making himself
good excuse for stealing Il living. Th,
world doesn't owe any man anything, son
1t will give you anything you earn, anc
you just look over the world and know tina
all plunder you can gather in by homes
work is yours and no more. Ii you can
yet any, why, none of it's yours, and l.
you can reach out and carry away ter
times as much rs your neigbbor. why, tha
is all yours, and he has no right to wal
and whine over his bad luck and want tt
divide. And, my son, in all human prob
ability, you will not want to divide.
hope you may, but its very likely yor
won't.