The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-10-21
Laying The Foundation.

The long evenings are with us again.
There are various ways Of spending them,
some wise and some the reverse of wise.
Many hail them as the beginning of sea-
son of balls, socials, and other methods OF
dissipation, continuing night after night,
until the days again begin to lengthen.
The young people who devote themselves
to these mild orgies doubtless have great
deal of fun in the course of the winter, but
it may be doubted whether they are much
profted. Too often devotion to sport i'm
perils health and cuts short the young life.
We know of certain graves whose occupants
sacrificed life for pleasure
But we mean to preach no funeral ser
mon. We are not so old but that we can
remember our own youth, and we have no
sympathy with that miserable spirit which
would curtain the world in sable, form the
young into decorus solemnity. Young peo-
pie will be young people, and it is right
that they should be. 1t is natural that
they should love each others society and
that amusement should attract them. The
burdens of life will soon enough fasten
upon their shoulders Let them enjoy the
DAYS of their youth while the evil days
come not.
Nevertheless, if it be true, as it doubt
less is that "all work and no play makes
Jack dull boy" it is equally true that the
Young man who devotes all his leisure
hours to amusement, even though it be of
the most harmless sort, will not be apt to
amount to much in the active work of the
world. He will not be apt to do much be-
cause he doesen't know how to do anything.
The thing that he should have learned in
his youth heneglected and his oppor-
tunities are limited now because his knowl-
edge is confined within very narrow bound
aries.
The men who will come to the front in
the next ten or twenty years are those who
mingle pleasure with study. They appre-
ciate social enjoyment and take moderate
share thereof but they also understand the
nature of knowledge, and a portion Of their
time is scrupulously devoted to storing
their minds with information. They do
not take kindly to such literature as is fur
nished by the Police Gazette, the New
York Clipper, the Wdeaaoahe Libraries
and similar products of the licentious and
criminal press. They understand the value
of time and the Importance of selecting
their reading with care, and so they turn to
the master minds of English literature for
amusement information and profit. They
acquaint themselves with the history of
that great nation whose language they speak,
and with the facts of our own national
growth. They keep an eye on passing
events SO that they are able to talk with
some degree of intelligence of what has hap
pened in the past as we'll as of what is going
on in the busy world about them. They
study the constitution of our country, ia
miliarize themselves with the nature of our
government and acquaint themselves with
the manner and deeds of the men who
were prominent in our earlier history, as
we'll as of those who are regarded as lead
ers in the present. Young men who know
what has already occurred in this country
and who have fair knowledge of current
history will some day come to the front
Their light will not be concealed undera bush
ell. Their fellows will recognize their ability
for information, We advise young men t.
become readers, Adopt system and ad
here to it. Get some one in whom yor
have confidence to recommend a course OF
of reading and then devote not less than an
hour day to storing the mind with knowl
edge. The busiest man can find tina
much time for mental improvement, ant
the result at the end of the first year vii
astonish and delight every one who tries it
-Ahoono, Pa, Tribune.