The colored patriot., 1882-05-18
NO. 5.
Moral Courage.

Ahe s'lie VI living required or SUM
posed to be required of those who wisR
to move in what is called good society.
often works most unhappy and dis.
aStrouS consequences in those who haya
not the moral courage to live accordino
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 whataver
money can buy. As has been said bv
an eminent orator: civilization NAV
extend virtically rs well as latterallv.n y
and it is a good thing. in many ways. 10
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 a city, and scarcely a 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 beu
their mammas TO let them dress as
nicely as their playfellowS-thec 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 par. of their children, and
pressure is brought 10 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 grows till 1t in
cludes houses. furniture, equipage, the
table, travelling, and all the rest.
Now, it requires constant exercise
of moral courage on the part of both
parents and children in moderate cir
cumstances to withstand influences so
potent, and to live and dress and keep
within their means. But il 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 a little thinking on their own ac-
eount, not only withstanding the drift
of public sentiment, but, when duty
calls, moving directly in the face Of it.
1t is a good thing for children To learn
to live according to what IS fitting their
station in life; it is good for them 10 be
compelled to the exercise of moral
courage in this regard. But there are
very few parents who are willing To ex-
pose their children, on account OF inferi-
ority of dress and surroundings. TO the
snubs of their playfellows, even though
TO prevent it they live beyond their
means.
The pressure brought to bear upon
poor young man who marries tho
daughter of a wealthy family il fire.
quently ruinous to him. lie has pride
in providing for her everything she has
been accustomed TO, and in keeping his
household in as stylish a manner as his
father-in-law does. In her ignorance n
how much things cost, in her fancy that
her husband is certainly her father 5
equal in financial ability and manage
ment. she is often unaware that her
| exactions are forcing him in the dircc-
ton of failure. embezzlement, forgery.
crime. And he, poor man, hasn't tho
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
" irresistible TO appropriate funds be-
longing not to him. Some most dis
tressing cases Of this kind arc within our
personal knowledge and suggest this
note of warning.
As a preparation for the financial re-
Fponsbilities of adult life it i m 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 viii; this viii
form in them the habit Of thoughtful
and wise expenditure, Of choice a. n
what is most desirable and what - less
desirable. and what Is equally imPor-
tant will compel them To 20 without soEno
things that seem greatly 20 be coveted
/ II is good for a man TO bear the yoke ID
/ his youth, and for woman also.
/ 4 great many wives through mistaken
/ kindness on the part Of their husband
are kept in ignorance as 10 the real
/ state Of their pecuniary affairs. and drlit
/ pleasantly down the rapids of lavish cx-
/ pendiiure totally unaware oi the abyss
F of failure they are approaching until
/ they make the fatal plunge Real kind
+ ness 10 the wife will not allow her hiis"
band to keep from her that which ID
I justice TO him and 10 her she ought 70
/ know Real kindness 10 the husband
will not allow his wife 20 force him 10
the verge Of and into bankruptcy Mar
! rage is business partnership not iess
than a partnership Of other inters -
and both partners should know fuiI!
what the assets and liabilities are ana
+ shape their course accordingly. IA
/ doing this no little exercise 81 moral
courage is required. courage r deny
+ oneself, TO 70 over unpleasant accounts
( to face difficult problems. 70 resist -
{ Turing temptations. and. il tne. - pre-
serve a clean and perfect balance snsss-
~. i, Z'ri5an1.
+ Prot vennor has tee ras1r-afssss-
and Is ~. in 81 angelic huzog. =.
reply 20 inquiries about ths meaning q
the aurora and sun spots. &c saFs hs
thinks we will have > cold And -