The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-11-02
A Start in Life.

How to make a living is a ques-
ton that has to be met by every
man, not only for himself, but in
the majority of cases for his sons,
and in too many cases, for his
daughters also. The praises that
we bestow upon men who are called
self-made because they started in
life from humble surroundings lead
men to believe that there are par
ticular vantage points in life from
which to make the start that in
sures q safe trip, a successful ca
reer and grand climax. In sup
port of this notion we hear young
men constantly bewailing their fate,
because they have no capital to be
gin business with; they were born
toe poor or they lacked the educa-
ton to command a position in the
world.
To expose the folly of these com
plants, let us take practical view
of the real opportunities along with
the actual obstacles to success that
beset the paths of the rich and
poor youth of the land.
We will take the instance of two
young men born of equally virtu-
Gus parents and with equal mental
endowments. The parents of the
one are rich and the boy attends
the most stylish and approved
schools and academies, and ends
his scholastic life with a collegiate
diploma. He. is now twenty-five
years of age, and 80 far as the prac-
teal business of life is concerned,
he is but born again into the world.
The love of pleasure at this stage
+ of life is ruling passion. The
possession of pocket money, that nc
hard earned experience ever taught
him the value of, opens every ave
|. nue. of pleasure and dissipation
Men and women who have drilled
themselves in every measure o.
: method that is most sure to com
plete his destruction beset his path
Ifhe possesses a latent love 70
liquor, cards, racing, or any of tn
other weaknesses of our natur,
there is every opportunity anC
temptation open to cultivate tn
passion in him. If he is man O
naturally strong passions he need
4 must have a strong nature to con
quer these besettings sins.
The boy born of the poor parents
receives a primary education in tn
public school, where the teachers
have no fear of offending the pa
!, rents and therefore require ever
scholar to come up to a certain
, standard. The boy is well grounds
in the elementary branches and
he has a genuine love for knowledg
Y he will find no obstacle in the wa
; of his acquiring it that little ener
gy cannot overcome. At the age 0
: seventeen or eighteen his necessi
ties require that he should ego int
business" which means that ht
must enter a store or take up
trade. Having felt immaculate pu
rity that surrounds the youth o
fine clothes and tender hands III
feels no modification but an homes
pride when he accepts the humbles
position in the in the store. A
the age of twenty-five, the time
, when the rich boy is being borr
again into the world, he has &C
quired five or six years of business
experience. Having no time to
waste or money to squander, he pre-
sents no attraction to the leeches
of society. The gamblers, the fast
women, and the professional ''brac-
er" have no use for him. His pas
sions must be strong indeed if he
goes astray.
The rich boy, if he weathers the
storm, needs must enter a profes
sion and waste from five to ten
years of his life in an attempt to be-
come self-supporting. At this, the
turning period of life, enters the
vital issue God has implanted in
our natures loves and aspirations.
He who feels that he has trod all
the paths of pleasure and of pride
has no incentive to further action
and is almost sure to. become a'gild-
ed pauper," while he to whom these
desires present freshness, hun
ger of heart, is sure to throw all his
energy into the fight that masters
the situation with an case that
challenges the admiration of men at
the accomplishments of this self
made man.