The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-24
Come With the Crowd.

See here, my boy The bells have
rung the old year out and 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 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 not
knowing 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 own
father, it wouldn't greatly affect your
general standing with the world.
P,haps you smoke and chew. What
for? What's the use of paying out 500
year to insure bad breath, headaches,
red eyes, decayed teeth and nervous de-
bility, when you can secure broken leg,
which is far nicer, by tumble down
stairs? Chewing is vicious, nasty
habit. Smoking affects the brain and,
nerves and stomach. We admit that
young chap of your age looks like.
great statesman when he comes down the
avenue putting away at fve.cent grab,
but suppose you didn't look like anybody
but yourself?
Maybe you drink little; very proba.
bly, 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, breeds anger, brings about
quarrels, and there ia no end to the train
of wretchedness it entails. Yes, great
lawyers, statesmen, poets and philoso.
piers drink, but they lose respect by it.
Men have a 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 a skinning as will
last you your lifetime. Lot gambling
alone. Fight as shy of gambling rooms :
at you would of 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
mako 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 ego.
tism, but keep it in check. The world
in general looks upon it as disease.
Even if you know all you think you
know the rest of US won't admit it. Men
hate boosters and braggarts.
Bluntness is good thing sometimes,
sometimes it isn't. Civility and con-
scientious regard for other peoples feel
ings are trump cards in the game of life.
Be charitable without encouraging vice;
be honest in your opinions, but don't
imagine that it is your duty to break up
8 family or start a church scandal in
your dealings be square. You may lose
by it for a time, but when the public
comes 10 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 bal
ance at your bootmaker's, part your hair
on the side and fall into procession with
the rest of us. We don't claim to be
pretty. and ne don't own all the brains
in the country, but we can teach you
several things that may come useful in
future years, and we guarantee to prove
that horse sense and square dealing are
certain to pay a semi-annual Dividend
Detroit Free Press.