St. Landry democrat., 1882-06-03
Moral Courage.


posed to be required of those who wish
to move in what is called good society,
often works most unhappy and dis
astrous consequences in those who have
not the moral courage to live according
to the facts of their individual lives.
A man who has plenty of money can
afford to live on large scale, to support
retinue of servants, to buy costly
pictures and works of art, and in gen
'eral to surround himself with whatever
money can buy. As has been said by
an eminent orator: ''civilization may
extend virtically as well as latterally,'
and it is a good thing, in many ways, to
have the standard of comfortable and
even luxurious living advanced. But
when man spends more in this way
than he can prudently afford to, then
the trouble begins There is certainly
not city, and scarcely village or
hamlet, where there is not more or less
trouble OF this kind, and It comes about
in the most natural way. The
children Of the well-to-do beg
their mammas to let them dress as
nicely as their playfellows- children
of the better-to-do; these desire to wear
as fine clothes as the children of the
richest man in the village Mammas
have pride in gratifying this natural
desire on the part Of their children, and
pressure is brought to bear on the
father of the family to grant the desired
indulgence If such natural desire ex-
tended only to dress, it might not work
so much mischief, but it grows till it in
cludes houses, furniture, equipage, the
table, travelling, and all the rest.
Now, it auires a constant exercise
of moral courage on the, part of both.
parents and children in moderate cir
scumstances to withstand influences so
potent, and to live and dress and keep
within their means. But it can be done,
and it is done by those who will not
allow themselves to be swept away by
every breeze and carried away by every
social current, by those who insist on
doing little thinking on their own ac-
count, not only withstanding the drift
of public sentiment, but, when duty
calls, moving directly in the face of it.
1t is good thing for children to learn
to live according to what is fitting their
station in life; it is good for them to be
compelled to the exercise of moral
courage in this regard. But there are
very few parents who are willing to eS-
pose their children, on account Of inferi-
,ority of dress and surroundings, to the
isnubs of their playfellows, even though
to prevent it they live beyond their
means. T% u*
The pressure brought to bear upon a
poor young man who marries the
daughter Of a wealthy family is fire.
qucntly ruinous to him. He has pride
in providing for her everything she has
been accustomed to, and in keeping his
household in as stylish manner as his
father-in-law does. In her ignorance of
how much things cost, in her fancy that
her husband is certainly her fathers
equal in FINANCIAL ability and manage
ment. she isNDften unaware that her
eexactions are forcing him in the direc-
ton of failure, enlightenment, forgery,
crime. And he, poor man, hasn't the
courage to place before her the facts in
the case. The records show that many
a man whose only fault was undue in
diligence to his family, has been brought
to the penitentiary because he had not
the moral courage to bring his expendi- |
lures within his means. and was forced
by pressures outside of himself and final
Iy irresistible to appropriate funds be-
longing not to him. Some most dis
tressing cases of this kind are within our
personal knowledge and suggest this |
note of warning.
As a preparation for the financial re-
sponsibiities of adult life it is an excel
lent plan to allow each child in family |
a certain specified amount which shall |
cover necessary expenditures, and re-
-quire faithful account of the same.
This will teach children the value Of /
money as nothing else will; this will I
form in them the habit of thoughtful |
and wise expenditure, Of choice. as to
what is most desirable and what is less
desirable, and what is equally impor-
tant viii compel them to go without some
things that seem greatly to be coveted. |
1t is good for man to bear the yoke in
his youth, and for woman also. a
A great many wives through mistaken
kindness on the part of their husband 5 I
are kept in Ignorance as to the real
state of their pecuniary affairs, and drift
pleasantly down the rapids Of lavish ex-
penditure totally unaware of the abyss
of failure they are approaching until
they make the fatal plunge. Real kind
ness to the wife will not allow her hus-
band to keep from her that which in
justice to, him and to her she ought to.
know. Real kindness to the husband
will not allow his wife to force him to
the verge of and into bankruptcy. Mar
rage is business partnership not less
than a partnership of other interests,
and both partners should know fully
what the assets and liabilities are, and /
shape their course accordingly. In |
doing this no little exercise Of moral
courage is required, courage to deny
oneself, to 20 over unpleasant accounts,
to face difficult problems, to resist al
Turing temptations, and, in fine, to pre-
serve clean and perfect balance sheet
Al Il