The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-14
ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN.
What Burdette Had to Say to the Young
Men of Boston.

Boston Herald.
Robert J. Burdette the famous Burlington
Hawkeye man, lectured at the Young Mems
Christian Association Hall last evening There
was large attendance His subject was 'Ad-
vice to Young Men, 1t is more blessed, the
lecturer said, to give than to receive advice The
only man l ever knew who felt that he was too
young to advise other people was ninety eight
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 you ever ask your lawyer question, my
son! And what did the lawyer sayl Fifty dol
lars. If you want to be somebody in this world
you must begin by being yourself Your great
great grandfather can't help you, because
he is dead, and this is a live world,
that wants living men. When l hear a
man talking too much about his ancestors / say
There is man who needs them Ihave known
some men who were very proud of their ances-
tors, whose ancestors would have been most dis
maa.y 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
tines the boys have lay them out The hard
workers have no time for dissipation, so they
live long Mans work goes on forever, but
every man doesn't go on forever to do it. He
doesn't do it all while he does stay here A
young man must do his best and hardest work
now. When you can get $50 line for your
poetry, my boy, as Mr.. Tennyson does then
you can afford to write as poor poetry
as Mr.. Tennyson does Wearing a Burn
side hat doesn't give a man war
record. Twenty eight inches of coat padded
across sixteen inches of shoulders doesn't make
you gymnast. Men do not value turkey for
its plumage. Don't go into debt If you can't
get along without more than you have, don't Dor
row; steal. 1t would not worry you half so
much and if you steal enough, you can go to
Canada and become shining light in society.
Does it pay" you ask, Ito be honestl" No, my
son, not if you're honest for pay it doesn't. Not
if you are honest merely because you think it
will pay; not if you are honest because you are
afraid to be rogue; not if you're honest because
you believe in that mean old saying that "hon-
eesty is the best policy" Honesty isn't policy,
it's principle, and if you can't be honest be-
cause your soul hates a lie and despises mean
action /; if you can't be honest for the sake of the
dear white truth herself, don't try to be honest
be a 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 be in too big hurry about it,
but don't be too deliberate 1t is your duty
Don't think the girls are all butterflies of fash
ion If you want to marry 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 re-
pine over your poverty; it is good for you. We
get most of our Presidents from Illinois tan
yards and farms and Ohio tow paths Don't
envy any great man, my boy. The great man.
with his weight of years and care, envies you
every time he passes you by. And if you can't
be leader, double-leaded, a column long, on
the second page, you can be something just as
useful You can be a little paying four-line
solid nonpareil lad, !" on the inside down under
picture of Lydia Pinkham and that will help
the makeup, and fill its place in the paper. Be
anything in the world my boy, that is alive and
useful Be anything but dead ad."