The Baltimore County union., 1882-11-25
BEN wILD's ADDRESS TO HIS SON.

My boy, don't try to be like every
body else. Ii will not win. Some peo-
pie may like to have their vanity tickled
by being copied, but they never really
respect the copyist.
When you are in Rome, do as you
like. Never mind what the Romans
do. II you find you cannot live in
Rome and be true to your nature, quit
Rome. Not spitefully, as il you expect
cd Rome to follow after you weeping
and beg your return, for then you will
be disappointed at the utter carelessness
of your departure she will evince. But
get up quietly and move on to a more
congenial atmosphere.
Don't agree with everybody. Have
opinions Of your own, and don't be
afraid to express them. If you think
they are right cling to them after every
body else has deserted them and until
you have reasonable proof that they are
wrong Then don't be afraid to drop
them. Never mind what people may say
about you. II you have strong convic-
iions half the world will call you bigot
il you have no convictions everybody
will call YOU a nobody. See to il only
that they are not warranted. Heed
nothing but the testimony, and hang or
acquit on that alone.
There will be times in your life when
standing out alone for a principle that
you think is right, you'll feel lonesome.
That is an evidence of weakness. Fight
it of. If you are right you will not
long be alone. Hammer away with
your arguments. Appeal to the reason
Of your hearers or, If you can get no
hearers, keep appealing to your own
reasons. But don't desert your princi-
pie because all others do. A block of
wood may drift with the tide, but some-
thing is required to push against the
current.
Don't live on the pleasure OF your
neighbors. It's an unwholesome diet.
1t means tha, you are doing what they
want you to; they applaud only that
which is in their own minds. Live
rather so that when you get ready tn
give up breathing, YOU rest in the con-
soling thought that you have done what
you believed TO be right.
My boy, don't try to pass for what
you are not. Remember the fable of
Of the jackass in the lions skin. Your
ears and your bray are very certain to
be recognized.
When asked for information on mat
ter of which you have none, say so.-
Don'tpresume on the questioner's ignor-
ance. He may be asking you to expose
yours. There are just such people in
the world.
1t requires some bravery TO say you
don't know. but if it's the truth, out
with il, my boy. Consider what you
don't know cannot be squeezed in be-
tween this planet and the sun, while
what you do know rattles around with
room to spare in your own little head.
A man once blew out the gas in city
hotel rather than confess TO the land
lord that he was from the country where
they burnt candles. But the landlord
knew him all the time, and for that rea-
son did not exact pay in advance. Had
the countryman lived until morning, the
landlord would have had proposition
to trade his hotel for his farm.
You see, my boy, when you are try
ing TO be something that you are not,
you never know where you are. II you
knew the inside life of every man whom
you envy, perhaps you would not trade
places with him for a single day. 1t
was sagacious old king who said he
would give his domains for the shirt of
4 contented man he had no shirt and
wanted no domain. The king probably
thought of this.
So, my boy, when you look enviously
on the man who fills the place to which
your ambition would carry you, remem-
Der he may be regarding you in the same
light. II you are wood sawyer and
he an author, he will be pretty likely to
think wood-sawing is easier than writing
book. II you are poor and he rich,
he will think of the cares which oppress
him and from which you are free.
When you shall have learned that you
are as we'll Off as anybody else you will
be contented to assume nothing beyond
what belongs to your nature and when
you've reached that point you will be-
gin TO initiate only yourself. That is
a. .t:,., ,kas ala, ..,a.l.t ILL.,,