The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-08-14
A Word to Young Men.

A Word to Young Mens
One night last winter / had the
pleasure of riding on the cars for some
distance by the side of your correspond
ent j. g., of the Western Reserve, and
he gave me some experience which
want to repeat to the young men. He
said, as near as l can remember
When was married did not drink,
and | made up my mind l would not
smoke, but would spend each year the
amount OF money the cigars would have
cost, in good books - agricultural,
scientific, and perhaps some novels by
the best authors. / figured that one
good cigar day, with what l should
give away, would cost $40 year and
| have faithfully spent that sum for
books every year since. l now have
quite a library of useful books, one of
the largest in our vicinity, aud every
year am adding to it. My wife and I
read those books, and spend our even
ings talking about what we have read,
instead of gossiping about our neigh
bors. 1t was one of the best moves
ever made"
Our friend is now not only better
farmer, but writer, an editor and a
lecturer. Don't you think he was wise
to go without the cigars
Not long since heard young man
say, looking at the cigar which he was
smoking: ga fire at one end of it and
a fool at the other" He was joking, I
presume, but was it not true? 1 have
not word to say to the older men; but,
young men, with your own way to
make in the world, cannot you learn a
lesson from this actual experience of
one young farmer? Drinking you will
avoid, of course. You can smoke and
be considered respectable, perhaps, but
every time you do it want you to re-
member that for the sake of a foolish
and useless habit you are burning up a
library or farm.
we had to wait, two women came
through the car where was, cleaning
up the floors. The floor in my seatwas
flooded with filthy tobacco spittle. and
felt ashamed when got up to let one
of these women clean out my pew. I
told her that, although appearances
were against me, had no hand in
making that disgusting mess. and
wished the one who made it had to
| clean it up. Last month / attended a
meeting at an attractive grange hall.
| AS the place was crowded, number
of men, mostly quite young, occupied
the dining room adjoining. After the
meeting, | wish you could have seen
| fho 61fhu Y,uddlar 0s +ohoooo ;,,;o, ~,
that nice white floor, that farmers sons
and young farmers and other young
men had left there for their mothers
and sisters and wives and sweethearts
to wade through and clean up. How
can any tidy young lady marry tobac-
co-spitter? would ten times sooner
live and die an old maid!
"They all do it" you say. No, they
don't; and less of them would do it, Il
you would put yoWr foot down that nc
drinking, splitting young man should
Chamberlain tell of seeing, some years
ago, German girl sitting on box in
a grocery smoking pipe, and with a
mug of beer by her side. II wasn't
married then,n he said, ''and I didn't
want to be. l would sooner have mar
ried rail fence thanSthat girl" 1t is a
poor rule that won't work both WAYS.
Young men, let me urge you to drop
these useless, expensive, disgusting
habits, if you have already got into
them; if you haven't do keep out; and
make good use of the money you
will save. Let the city boys, who think
it is smart, spit over everything, and
get at the fool end of cigar, and
dwarf their intellects by the use of to,
bacco while they are young, if they
must, but don't you pattern after them
If you take my advice you can be
worth more money, you will feel more
manly, and every one viii think more
Of you. / know of young man in
Ohio who not long ago applied for 3
| very desirable position. In his appli
cation. he said, II do not drink, smoke
or chew" That settled the matter
Ask any honest middle-aged man who
uses. tol5acco-your father, if you wisl
IF he would advise you to use it, anC
he will tell you. as I do, don't do Il; yol
can do better.-T B. Terry, in Countys
Gentleman. .s5i]''
l .5Ea =