New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-18
vopK Many TRIBUNE 49, IsoO-TRlPLE SHEEI

essay they Try nist this, thon '""' ~
aim or character which they have READ Oh OF
thought out as suitable to make their own In
this unknown life that is coming to them. We
have known young men of eighteen go through
a routine of study prescribed by themselves for
months, then break through and drink like sots,
then pull up again and lay down ascetic rules
for every hour, every action, every thought,
collected from Poor Richard and q KemDis.
It won't do, boys. You cannot form yeur
character or your life by running yourself INTO q
mould like melted metal. You will glow, not
be cast and there are forces within and with
out you which will inevitably affect your
growth. What each of you has to 90 IL
to meet and control these forces one by one.
You viii mett for instance, mean people, tlicky'
selfish. brutal people, who will shove You pacK
and down; worse than that, you your
self may have inherited IRON SOME
dead grandfather sefshness, bruta'lty'
sckly body, thirst for liquor OF
some other vice or weakness. you cannot
overcome all these things at eighteen oy max
inc ND n Code and subscribing TO 1t. What snail
Won do, Them Two hints THE TRIBUNE can
give YOU. which will be sure to conquer success.
First: Be honest. By which we do not
mean, simply, not to steal. That goes without
saving The yOupg man who, before his beard
is crown. thinks it clever to cheat his tailor or
to sneak out of his little debts at college, has
already laid sure foundation OF lll-iortune'
Nothing Is known so quickly or sticks 10
man so long as the reputation OF dishonesty H
ia the heck of mildew which eats and grows
blacker and spreads from year TO year. BOYS
are fatuously blind to the lengthenlng shadow
which these faults of sharp dealing and lying
in their earliest years throw down their whole
future. In year or two they will be asking
for patronage from the public or a chance in the
business world. and they will find that i'll
damaging their character they have already
squandered their only capital. No merchant
would take q boy even as porter into his
employ who was not known to be honest. We
take it for granted our boys are honest, III the
coarser meaning Of the term. But there Is
hner honesty that enters into mans nature
and lifts hic above his fellows He is no sneak
nor sham, neither TO his companions, his God,
nor even to himself. Ho does not sham
virtue which he has not he does not initiate
any other mans character but lie Tries 10 go
to the bottom of his own to clear 1t and iift 10
ND. AS the boy begins, so the man will end.
The lad who speaks with allectatiOn, and minces
foreign tongues that he does not understand
at school, will be a weak chrome in character
all his life the boy who cheats his teachers
into thinking him deyOut at chapel Will be
the man who will make religion trade and
bring Christianity into contempt; and the boy
who wins the highest average by stealing bis
examination papers will figure some day as
tricky politician. The lad who, whether rich
or poor, dull or clever, looks you light III
the eye and keeps his answer inside of the
truth, already counts friends who will last all
his life and holds capital which will brlng
him in a surer interest than money.
Then get to the bottom OF things. You see
how it Is already as to that 1t was the student
who was grounded in the grammar that took
the Latin prize 1t was that slow, steady drudge
who practised firing every day last Winter
that bagged the most game in the mountains
it is the clerk who studies the specially of the
house in off-hours who is to be promoted. Your
brilliant, happy go lucky, hitor-mlss fellow
usually turns out the deadwelght of the family
by forty-fve. Don't take anything for
granted get to the bottom of things Neither
be sham yourself, nor be fooled by shams.
Ready for you in your early manhood there are
plenty of pleasures waiting for you To conquer
applause money, society, this and that kind
of philosophy or faith. Take nothing on trust
weigh it, see what it Is worth. You will have
rough disappointments, but you will come to the
granite underneath at last.
We have said nothing about your religion.
Your creed matters httle-Baptist, Presby-
terrain, Churcbman for if you are the sincere,
earnest man we mean. you will come at last,
down through all professions, all experiences,
to the Almighty Good ana Order which under
lies them all. YOu will discover for yourself
that every sincere and earnest man must build
on that, or Oh the shifting sand. There is no
other choice in life.