Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1881-07-21

BALTIMORE, June, 21st 1881

My Dear SIR :--l have the honor aud
pleasure Of acknowledging. at my ear
Hest opportunity, your favor OF the 18th
inst. which appea.s veEy siroggl !. y
my sympathy. While ] am AFRAID that
il is not in my power, al present. 10 be
Of service TO you 10 the direction which
your very eloquent letter indicates, I
cannot refrain from taking advantage at
The opportunity, which your letter az
lords me, OF making some suggestions
20 you which may, possibly be Of at.
vantage 10 ihe formation of your plans
for The future. My own experience has
been that, when young, we are prone
10 view lite through exaggerated and
rose-colored spectacles. The tcmpta-
ton TO lessen the difficulties in the great
struggle tor position, wealth and fame
10 country, where the competition Of
intellect aud character is 30 great.
seems to be, almost, irresistible - the
fruitful imaginaiisH have no doubt,
that, from the green banks OF the pciur.
esqurly romantic paluXcnt, the great
throbhng world beyond appears a land
OF easy conquest. whore honor and dis.
lincilon, exalted rank and station are
aitainable by, comparatively, inconsid.
cradle effort, Assuch. ii was, once,
pictured to my own luvenesceni imagi
nation, in the spring days Of my youth,
and fred with an ambition, as llmliless.
almost, a. space. embarked on liic's
voyage filled with the highest Of hopes
and loflie,t of ambitions, assuming that
there were nothing beyond the power
Of my attainment. Alas. for the gIit.
tering vision Thirty years Of bot
moderate reward lor ny efforts have
taught me, that most Of The dreams 81
youth are iaiihless illusions and often
lead To mistakes OF tie most siupcn.
dous character. The fragile sparrow
cannot soat with the fearless eagle
amid the clouds, detyiug storm ana
tempest and resting ,rrenely upon The
bosom OF tie air or on ihe mountain
summit amid the crashing of tie yeic.
| con initiate The music OF The irilllng
lark Each has ~ place, beyond whirl
It cannot go. The Gr-t problem Tor 4
young man 10 solve, upon the lhresb-
Old 81 llie, is to discover the sphere fof
which, by his peculiar qualifications
he IT, intellectually aud otherwise. more
particularly fitted, This done. he mus
aim TO fill il with The entirety OF hi.
powers. Your manifestations of an lm.
patience OF idlcness IS certainly com.
mcndablc; but concentration Of pur-
pose upon some congrnial and fixed
pursuit Is Of immensely, more adyau-
iage ic young man OF clesernrss and
character, than an aimless aud yarila.
ting pursuit Of temporary employment.
Ia assuming. As ! have only recently
done, The editorial management Of the
Gazette" / have added. materially
to my many responsibilities and with
more than 4 quarter Of a century rx.
perence in the field OF journalism. /
cannot but appreciate thc magnitude OF
the undertaking. am grateful for the
thoughtful consideration expressed ia
your courteous letter, when you, SO eI-
oguentiy, wish FOR me a pleasant sum
mer; but, fear that the opportunity
will not be afforded me Of, Eagle-likc
Having my plumage Ia the dashing
pillows, " or OF "cleaving with majestic
wing the rushing clouds and finding re-.
pose upon some mountain top sublime
amidst the coronation OF a golden sun
set 70 quote from your charmingly
happy metaphor. There is no such
picluresquely beautiful outlook Tor the
editorial laborer. lie must wrestle with
the problems Of the hour as they pre-
sent themselves almost continuously
before his, sometime, bewidered brain
He must labor early and late aud be
able al almost moments notice % dis
cuss, accurately, moi alone the social
political and scientific questions OF the
day at home, but treat Of matters and
things IN Other lands. He must exer-
else almost super-human care and judg-
meat IN order 10 give 10 his readers the
news, without Offending any Of them.
although the interests OF many OF them,
politically and otherwise, are diametri-
cally opposed to each other He must
give spice to his paper but, at the same
time, be careful to eliminate from its
columns any and everything that could
be tortured into what might prove of.
fensiVe in the slightest degree 10 the
most fastidlous taste. He must, also,
moi neglect tho business interest Of his
journal, as without the "sinews Of war"
he cannot meet the constant and heavy
drain upon the treasury. These are
only few of the many perplexing
questions that are from day to day
arising before him, and after all these
formidable obstacles have been sur
mounted, hei by no means absolutely
assured that the eminent success, which
should reward such arduous labors, VIII
crown his efforts. / do moi, my young
friend, draw this gloomy picture with
any desire to diSsuade you from en-
barking in the uncertain field OF Jour
nalism which your ability as a graceful
and graphic writer appears TO qualify
you Tor. 1t is, indeed not improbable
that, possessed with such talents, and
with mind SO richly cultured al yours
appears 10 be, that you might shine as
a bright particular star in the iournalis-
lie armament Rut I cannot non ,,;.,,,