The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1884-01-30
COME WI 7 THE CROWD.
SOMETHING FOR YOUNG MEN TO READ

rung the old year out and the new one
in, and 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 remainder Of the world.
Now, then; you are beginning life.
You are from sixteen to twenty-one
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 cover all Lake Erie,
while your worldly wisdom wouldn't
knock an owl off his perch. Suppose
you make resolve to begin the year
1884 by knowing not more than half
as much as Plato, Diogenes and other
wise men. If you should condescend
to admit that you didn't even know
more than your fathet, it wouldn't
greatly affect your general standing.
with the world.
Perhaps you smoke and chew. What
forl What's the use of paying out $10O
year to insure bad breath, headaches
red eyes, decayed teeth and nervous
debility, when You can secure bro
ken leg, which is far nicer, by tum-
BILE down stairs Chewing lisa vicious
nasty habit. Smoking affects the brain
and nerves and stomach. We admit
that a young chap Of your ago looks
like great statesman when he comes
down the avenue putting away at a
s cent grab, but suppose you didn't
look like anybody but yourself!
Maybe your drink a little; very
probably you do. A young 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 friendships,
breed anger, brings about quarrels,
and there is no end to the train of
wretchedness it entails. Yes, great
lawyers, statesmen, poets and philoso-
pliers drink, but they lose respect by
it. Men have contempt for their
weakness, and the world reads their
epitaphs with sucers. Don't make a
persimmon of yourself because some
one else has.
PLAYED POKER OR FARO YET
If so we hope you got such a skin
ming as will last you your life time.
Let gambling alone. Fight as shy of
gambling rooms as you would of a
mad dog. People tell you about luck
That's all bosh. The gambler has
you by the throat the moment you en-
ter his door. You can't make any
money out of him, but he will see to it
that you add to his capital.
Now, as to your personal traits.
You may have come naturally by your
egotism, but keep it in check. The
world in general looks upon it as a
disease. Even if you know all you
think yen know the rest of us won't
admit it. Men hate boosters and
baggarts.
Blutness is good thing sometimes;
sometimes it isn't. Civility and con-
sclentioqs regard for ether people feel
~1ngs 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 a family or start church
scandal; In your dealing be square
You may lose by it for time, but
when the public come to understand
that you are a 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 bootmakers, part vour
hair on the side and fall into procession
with the rest of us. We don't claim
to 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
dealing are certain to pay a semi-an-
nual dividend Detroit Free Press.
lis it SIM" asked fashionable
lady of her spiritual director, "for me
to fell pleasure when. q gentleman saws
] am handsome 7" DIT is, my daughter,
he replied gravely; 1--WE should,neye,
delight in falsehood,"