The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-03-01
Come With the Crowd.
A FEW PARAGRAPHS OF FIRST-CEAoo- IA
VICE FOR "MY SON" TO STOW AWAY
IN HIS MEMORY.

See here, my boy! The bells have
rung the old year out and the new one
in, and a new watch has come on deck.
If you think you are going right along
in the same old grooves, while the rest
of us are making changes, you are up a
tree. You've got to toe the mark along
with the rest of the world.
Now, then; you are beginning life.
You are from I6 to FL years old. You
think you know all about it, but the
fact is you aren't more than half-baked
yet. What you don't know would COW
er all Lake Erie, while your worldly wis
dom wouldn't knock an owl off his
perch. Suppose you make resolve to
begin by not knowing more than half
as much as Plato, Diogenes and other
wise men. If youshould condescend to
admit that VOL didy,,t -even-knnY, more
affect your general standing with the
world.
Perhaps you smoke and chew. What
for? What's the use of paying out 500
year to insure bad health, headache,
red eyes, decayed teeth and nervous de-
bility, when you can secure broken
leg, which is far nicer, by tumble
down stairs? Chewing is a vicious,
nasty habit. Smoking affects the brain
and nerves and stomach. We admit
that young chap of your age looks
like a great statesman when he comes
down the avenue putting away at S
cent grab, but suppose you didn't look
like anybody but yourself?
Maybe you drink little; very prob
ably you do. Ayoung man of your age
is apt to think it smart to guzzle down
lager and tipple wine, but there's where
he is lame. Even old drunkards would
caution you against the practice. Drink
not only wastes money, but it sewers
friendship, breeds anger, and brings
about quarrels, and there is no end to
the train of entails. Yes,
great lawyers, statesmen, poets and
philosophers drink, but they lose re-
spect by it. Men have contempt for
their weakness, and the world reads
their epitaphs with sneers. Don't make
persimmon of yourself because some
one else has.
Played poker or faro yet? If so we
hope you got such SHINING as will
last you your life time. Let gambling
alone. Fight as shy of gambling-rooms
as you would ola mad dog. People tell
you about luck. That's all bosh. The
gambler has you by the throat the mo-
ment you enter his door. You can't
make any money out of him, but he will
see to ii that you add to his capital.
Now, as to your personal traits. You
may have come naturally by your ego
tism, but keep it in check. The world
in general looks upon it as a disease.
Even if you know all you think you
know the rest of us won t admitit. Men
hsts bQasters and and braggarts .>
scientious regard for other peoples
feelings are trump cards in the game of
life. Be charitable without encourag-
ing vice; be honest in your opinions,
but don't imagine that it is your duty
to break up family or start a church
scandal; in your dealings be square.
You may lose by it for time, but when
the public comes to understand that
you are just and upright man you'll
make money and keep friends as we'll.
In fact, young man, suppose you
square up with your tailor, pay the
balance at your boot makers, part your
hair on the side and fall into procession
with the rest of US. We don't claimto
be pretty, and we don't own all the
brains in the country, but we can teach
you several things that may come use
| full in future years, and we guarantee to
prove that horse sense and square deal
ing are certain to pay a semi-annual
dividend.