Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-08
Advice to n Young Man.


Don't be mean, my boy; don't do mean things
and say mean things. Cultivate feeling of
kindness, spirit of charity broad and pure for
men and things. Believe the best of everybody.
have faith in humanity. and as you think better
of other people you will be better yourself You
can, with some accuracy. measure mans char
acUer by the esteem in which he holds other men,
When hear man repeatedly declaring that all
other men are knaves. want a strong endorse
ment on that mans paper before I'll lend him
money. When man assures me that all the tenn
perance men in his town take their drinks on
the sly, l wouldn't leave that man and my
private demijOhn-if had one-together in a
room five minutes When man tells me that
he doesn't know one preacher who isn't hypo-
critic. have all the evidence l want that that
man is liar. Nine times in ten, and frequently
oftener. you will find that men endeavor to dis
figure all other men with their OMp Weakness,
failings and vices So do you, my boy. think
well and charitably of all people. for the world
is full of good people.
And If you are mean. you cannot conceal
it. People will know it. Our unfortunate.
human fOndness for gossip always puts in
possession of all the worser qualities of each
other. Don't you and your intimate friends
my boy. discuss the weak and evil points in
your neighbOrs' characters? OF course you do;
and when you are the absent one, be assured
Telemachus, that your friends are in like manner
dlssecting you. Indeed they are. They know
all about you. and that which you would have
least known they know the best.
And at any rate, my son, you know 1t, and
that is enough. Sometimes wonder what a
mean man thinks about when he goes to bed.
When he turns out the light and Hes down.
When the darkness closes in about him. and he
is alone, and compelled to be honest with him
self. And not bright thought, not generous
impulse, not manly act, not word of blessing.
not grateful look comes to bless him again
Not penny dropped into the outstretched
palm OF poverty, nor the balm Of loving word
dropped into an aching heart; no sunbeam of
encouragement cast upon struggling life: the
strong right hand OF fellowship reached out to
help some fallen man to his feet-when none
OF these things come to him as the 'sGod
bless YOU of the departed day how
he must hate himself! How he must try to roll
away from himself and sleep on the other side
OF the bed. When the only victory he can think
OF is some mean victory in which he has wronred
neighbOr. No wonder he always sneers when
he tries to smile. How pure and fair and good
all the rest Of the world must look to him. and
how cheerless and dusty and dreary must his
own path appear. Why even one lone isolated
act OF meanness is enough to scatter cracker
crumbs in the bed of the average. ordinary man.
and what must be the feelings of a man whose
whole life Is given up to mean acts? When
there is so much suffering and heartache and
misery in the world, anyhow, why should YOU
add one pound of wickedness or sadness to the
general burdens? Don't be mean, my boy.
Suffer Injustice thousand times rather than
commit it once.