Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-18
Advice to Young Men.
WHAT Bon" BURDETTE HAD TO SAY A
THE Y. M. c. A, BosToN.

Roberto ]. Burdette, the famous Burling-
ton Hawkeye man, lectured at the Young
Mems Christian Association Hall the other
evening. There was a large attendance
His subject was advice to Young Men"
1t is more blessed, the lecturer said, to give
than to receive advice. The only man
ever knew who felt he was to young to
advise other people Twas SO years old, and
had just begun to learn that he didn't know
anything. You always pay for the best
advice. Really good advice is never free
Did yon ever ask your lawyer question, my
son? And what did the lawyer say? Fifty
dollars. If you want to be somebody in this
world, you must begin by being yourself
Your great grandfather cant help you,
because he is dead, and this lie live world
that wants living men. When hear a man
talking too much about his ancestors, l saw.
There is a man who needs them l have
known some men who were very proud of
their ancestors, whose ancestors would have
been most dismally ashamed of them. We
care more for the pedigree of the horse we
buy than for that of the man who sells him
After all, hard work is the great secret of
success 1t accomplishes more than genius
There are white crows, but they are no more
useful than black ones. Hard work doesn't
kill men. Fun" kills men. The "good
times" the bows have lay them out. The
hard workers have no time for designations,
so ther live long. Mans work goes on for
ever, but every man doesn't go on forever to
do it. He doesn't do il at all while he does
stay here. A young man must do his best
and hardest work now. When you get $50 a
line for your poetry, my boy. as Mr.. Tenny-
son does, then you can afford to write as
poor poetry AS Mr.. Tennyson does. Wear
ing Burnside hat doesn't give man a war
record. Twenty-eigbt inches of coat padded
across l6 inches of shoulders doesn't make
you q gvmnast Men do not value turkey for
its pumage. Don't go into debt. If You can't
get along without more than you have. don't
borrow steal, 1t would not worry you halt
so much, aud if you steal enough, you can go
TO Canada and become shining light in So
cicty. Docs it pay" you ask to be honest?'
No, my son. not il you're honest for pay it
doesn't. Net if you are honest merely be-
cause YOU are afraid to be rouge: not If
you're honest because YOU believe in that
mean old saying that honesty is the best
policy" Honesty isn't policy, it's princi-
Pile and il you can't be honest because your
soul hates a lie and despises mean action, il
YOU can't be honest for the sake of the dear,
white Truth herself, don't try to be honest
be \ rascal, that's what you're intended for.
Get married. my SOM Look me in the eye ;
If you never DO anything else in the world
get married Don't he in too big hurry
about il, but don't be to deliberate. Ii is your
duty Don't think the girls are all butter
flies of fashion. Ii You want to marry a
laundress, do your counting in the laundry.
but if you want wife. marry the girl you
love. BE honest with the world. Don't sail
under false colors. Don't repine over your
paverty; it is good for you We get most Of
cur presidents from Illinois tan-yards and
farms and Ohio towpaths. Don't envy any
great man, my boy The great man, with
his weight Of years and cares. envies YOU
every time he passes you by And if you
can't be leader. douhle-leader, a column
long, on the second page, YOU can be some.
thing just as useful. You can be little paw
ing iour-line solid noupareil lad, !" on the in.
side. down under picture of Lydia Pink.
ham, and that viii help the make up, and AL
its place in the paper. Be anything in the
world, my boy, that is alive and useful. Be
anything but dead ad"