The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-04-15
Bad Company.

1t was during my residence in Yon-
kers, many years ago. thatI discovered
the destructive influence of bad COM
pany, even in the kingdom of nature.
I had beautiful garden. On the east
side of it, next to the street, stood long
row of large ailanthus-trees. When in
1ull foliage, early in the spring, they
were very beautiful. 1 had planted my
garden and was anxiously watching the
growth of the different vegetables as
they appeared above ground, when l
soon discovered that all the plants near
these trees began to have sickly an
pearance. and that scarcely any of them
came to maturity.
The ailanthus-tree, while it is symmet-
rical in form and of beautiful foliage, is
nevertheless poisonous tree. As I
looked upon my garden in midsummer,
and saw the rich. luxuriant vegetat on
in one part of it, and everything
dwarfed in the other, near the ailanthus,
l said:
'Behold the evil influence of bad
company
My young friends. if bad company
among the trees is deadly to all around
them, how much more destructive must
bad companions be to all who come
within their influence? How often
during my life, as a teacher, have l
seen good boy growing sickly in all
his studies, and alter carefully inyestiga-
ing his case have found that when out
of school he was in the company of bad
boys-boys who themselves are idle and
lazy, and perhaps guilty of many bad
practices.
Here was the secret. In the COM
pany of these boys he heard nothing. he
saw nothing. ennObling or praisewOrthy.
Their influence over him was down.
ward, and only downward. AT first
the evil effects were not SO perceptible,
but by degrees they began to be felt
and seen.
John, at the age of fourteen. leaves
home for boarding school, one of the
best and most expensive. He has been
carefully trained at hOme-it may be
by pious parents. He is noble boy,
beloved by all who know him. He
leaves home with the benedictiOns of
loving parents, sisters and brothers.
He enters new world.
The principal of the school and his
wife are devoted to the welfare of all
under their roof. They are careful, as
far as lies in their power. to receive no
bad boys into their school.
John has for his mate boy q
little older than himself. He has been
in the school but few weeks, but thus
far was considered q good boy. He
has, however, one or two very unde-
sirable traits of character. We need
not name them here. Suffice it to say
that, in a short time, John and his
roommate are both expelled from
school. The influence of his roommate
over John soon led him to commit the
same crimes of which he had often been
guilty before John entered the school.
Had a roommate been given John
who would have led him in right ways,
as he had been trained when at home,
he might have graduated from this
school with its highest honors.
Let this one example suffice for thou
sands of similar character.
BOYS, as you hope for a noble and
true MANHOOD, be careful who your
companions are. Seek the companion
ship of those who will encourage you
in all noble effort to do your duty as
boy to your parents and teachers. and
above all. to yourself and your God
The difference between the influence
of good and bad company is as wide as
the distance between heaven and he'll.
Washington Hasbrouck, Principal of
N. j. State Normal School