The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-06-05
Short Talks With the Boys.

Suppose your parents should speak of
you as "the kid" or "the fly" You'd
soon begin to think you were born into
the wrong family. The son Who is
ashamed of his parents ought to be
ashamed of himself.
Suppose their ways are old fashioned,
and their grammar little off, and they
don't feel like keeping up with the fash.
ions of tho day3 Not one father or
mother in ten had the advantages you
enjoy. Forty or City years ago they
walked three or four miles to country
school to pick up little learning, while
now you are talking of going to college.
They began poor and have toiled and
labored and saved for their children.
You just remember that things have
greatly changed in this country. Years
ago colico dress was seen mt church far
ottener than silk. Men went to meet.
ing clad in homespuu. The rule in mos.
houses was for the children stand up to
eat. The biggest pieces Of pie went to
tather and mother, and children were
not allowed to sit up until 10 o'clock at
night, or to argue o question after the
head of the family had decided it.
My boy, don't get any foolish notions
into your head. Ifyour father is old
and gray and bent--if your mother is
trembling and weak and has no care for
the frivolities OF this day. it ia toll which
has brought these, days of hard work
and nights full Of anxiety that their
children might be spared the same slavish
life. Where they wore bluejcans you
have broadoioih. Where they ate
johnnycake you have sweet cake and
pie. Where their mode Of lifo aud
forced economy prevented them from on.
Joying society, amusemeuts or books,
just think how you make the shiliings
fly, and what is offered to interest anG
amuse you
Now let's have q word to say about
economy. I've been right among you,
and know that you want this, that and
the other, and want it bad" Up to
the timo of the war II one of tho boys
of that day had dime to spend for
Fourth Of July. he thought himself we'll
liked. The boys want about five dollars
apiece nowadays, and thars oil gone
before noon.
If we got new book it was considered
great pieco Of extravaganza. The lad
who had cash enough TO walk into pan.
oramic exhibition, bny pair of Skates,
or treat himself to sweet meats was
looked upon by the rest of us o Jay
Gould.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't have
money and use it, but right there Is O
vital point. Be sure that you really need
what you buy. Ask yourself if /, will
pay? Money is the wheels on which the
world moves. Acquire the habit of
throwing it after every novelty brought
out and you'll by and by have q second.
hand museum and no cash to run it.
I dislike stingy boy, hut when see
o lad plankipg hlY nickels down at the
desk Of a savings bank l know that he
Is one of the future meM who Is going to
build our railroads and do our wholesale
business. There's n big difference be-.
tween being stiDgy and being economical.
The richest men of America are liberal
in giving to churches, asylums and to the
unfortunate, but they never waste. They
don't indulge in this or that simply De.
cause they have money enough to pay
for it.
Now, il you are about Is years old
you've got sneas!ng idea into ycus
head that it's big thing to use an oath
occasionally. You never made q greater
mistake 1t is true many men Esa more
or less oaths, but I would like to have
you lind me one who isn't ashamed of it
It's q mean habit, for it is habit. I
know you can point to the greatest men
in the land and prove that they spit out
oaths, but that's no reason why you should
follow suit. There isn't swearer in this
country who doesn't feel quiet satisfac-
ton in sitting down to converse with a
man whose language is clean and pure.
There's nothing manly in using an oath.
Swearing is about the first thing you
hear from the lips Of fool or drunkard.
Even heather can swear.
Now, don't get the idea that I want
you to be too good The too good boy In
nuisance. He was born to be an angel,
but they forgot to spike Oh the wings.
&c to the circus7 Certainly know
there are psopls In this wes!G %!io iook
;ipon circus as the next thing 10 O visit
from old Satan himself, but they ought
to have lived forty years ago. II you
were my boz I'd walk you in, show you
every animal and curiosity, and then
we'd take O reserved seat and see the
circus. When man has trained O horse
or mule or dog to obey him with almost
human intelligence he has proved to you
the practical value of patience and per.
severance. Every shade of men will
stop on the street TO see q man lift, or TO
watch q jumping match. Then why de.
prive you of the sight of the performance
of IN athlete, who has spent years to
bring his strength and agiiity to perfec.
tion7 80 ne ,
Would 1 take you to the theatre9 To
| good play-yes; to Buffalo Bill barn.
storming, hurrah-no. Five plays out OF
seven are healthy in sentiment, and
point moral go piaiuiy that even child
can catch on. III" Ho!. .ti,;a5
Iwant my boy to rub against every
| day life little while he Is a boy. If he
has the idea that hunters life Is full
Of juicy buffalo steaks and victories over
grizzlies I'm going to send him into the
woods for o week to live on woodchuck
meat, carry @ cold in his head and be
jumped out of his boots the first time m
owl boots. If he asks for money Tn,
going to give it to him, but want to sil
down of Saturday. night and see how
he spent 1t, aud show up some Of biz
foolish bargains. If he wants to sail the
bounding billow know of a lake captain
who will take him on q trip from Detroit
to Saginaw, and IL he can't cure him il
just one voyage nobody else reed try.
Sit down and talk to your toys as yot
would to your brother. Don't bulldoz,
because you happen to be his father ane
have the bulge on him. Argue and res
son. Don't expect to make. assertion
and have him swallow them as gospe
truths unless you have backing. Teacl
him what to avoid and what to- eultiyat,
and turn him leose for q while. Ifih,
seeks the coed he has the right instincts
II, be runs after the bad, don't walk hin