The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-04-23
Bad Company.

IL was during my residence in Yon.
kers, many years ago, thatI discoyaras
the destructive influence Of had ' ea
pany, even in the kingdom Of n, to.u'
had a beautiful garden. On tho sa..
side OF it. next to the street, stood los
row of large ailanthus-trees. Wh."l
iull foliage, early in the spriny. INV
were very beautiful. l had rlanled" ~!
garden and was anxiouslv watcbina ny
growth OF the different yeyetahIss, 'l.e
they appeared above ground who, =
soon discovered that all the plants me-.
these trees began to have a sicily g
pearance. and that scarcely apy Of ih a.
came to maturity. 'u'
The ai!anthus-tree, while it is svmn..
rical in form and of beautiful FOLIAGE :.
nevertheless poisonous tree. A.
locked upon my garden in midsumms,
and saw the rich. luxuriant yegetato,
in one part Of it, and eyerythin.
dwarted in the other, near the ailanthns
l said: 44
Behold the evil influence Of h,a
company
My young friends, if bad comu,,,
among the trees is deadly to all around
them, how much more destructive mn,t
bad companions be to all who com.
within their influence? How oita.
during my life, as teacher. have
seen good boy growing sickly in al,
his stud es, and alter carefully investie,.
ing his case have found that when mt
of school he was in the COMPANY ofb,d
boys-boys who themselves are idle and
lazy, and perhaps guilty of many b,d
Here was the secret. In the com.
pany Of these boys he heard nothing, h
saw nothing, ennobling or praiseworthy.
Their influence over him was down.
ward, and only downward. At tint
the evil effects were not so perceptible,
but by degrees they began to be felt
and seen.
John, at the age of fourteen, lesve,
home for boarding school, one Of tho
best and most expensive. He has been
carefully trained at home-it NAV b
by pious parents. He is q noble bow.
beloved by all who know him. He
leaves home with the benedictions q
loving parents, sisters and brothea
de enters new world.
The principal of the school and his
wife are devoted to the welfare Of sll
under their roof. They are careful Is
far as lies in their power, to receive no
bad boys into their school.
John has for his roommate . boy /,
little older than himself. He has been
in the school but a few weeks, but thus
far was considered a good boy. He
has, however, one or two very unds-
sirable traits of character. We need
not name them here. Suffice it to ~
that, in short time, John and biz
roommate are both expelled from
school. The influence of his roommate
over John soon led him to commit tho
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 wayA
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 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 q :
boy to your parents and teachers, and
above oil, to yourself and your God.
The difference between the influence
OF good and bad company is IS wide =
the distance between heaven and hell
-Washington Hasbrouck, Principal q
~ J. State Normal School.