Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-05-30
Character Building.


you have gathered the immortelles
that in their pristine beauty graced
the banks of historic Avon. If
you read the choicest in literature,
that which is mot for a day but
for all time," you have read, hui
man life, with all it's frailties, it's
passions, its pathos, it's magnanim-
ity and it's philosophy, in the songs
of him who ''took up the harp of
life and smote upon all it's chords
with might" To me, one of the
most philosophic of all his utter
ances, occurs in his great tragedy
the scene where La
ertes leaving his native country is
receiving the parting blessing of
Polonius. Polonius did not adj
wise his son to amass wealth or to
seek popularity, he gave him no
precept to guide him in winning
royal favOrs or in using craft in
trade. The STEW precepts" he de-
sired him to "keep in memory
were the precepts upon which to
build character. If fathers would
but impress it upon their sons
that they must make character
while they are making money or
gaining fame, if. they would be but
half so much interested in having
their sons form noble habits that
will make of them useful, self-reli-
ant men, as they are to accumulate
wealth for them, they would come
much nearer doing their whole
duty by them. l think fathers too
often leave this character-mOlding
entirely to the mother; and there
are many maxims and good ones
too behind which they can screen
themselves from responsibility.
Ills true that early youth is the
best time to implant good princi-
pies, and, "Just as the twig is bent
the trees inclined" Though the
Little twig may have been kept
straight until it became a sapling,
it may then receive an injury that
will make of it dwarfed or crook
ed tree. The little boy, to become
a useful, self-reliant man, must of
necessity, be much from under his
mothers espionage, while yet in
tender years and unusually sus-
ceptible to evil Influences. 1t is
then that the fathers precepts
and example may do much to
make or mar his character. Try
rs she may, no mother can know
so much of the habits her son is
forming, as the father may learn,
if he will interest himself in that,
half so much as he interests him.
self in making money for his boy.
If he trains his son in habits of in
dustry and self-reliance, he will
not need the money, and his train
ing will be "a stepping-stone to
higher things" If he fails to train
him judiciously, and to see to it
that he developes noble traits of
character, the money he may leave
him, viii prove a curse instead of
a blessing. Every man has many
opportunities to speak helpful,
guiding words to the young boys
ReproOf or censure seldom checks
the boy in his hayward course
but kind words, in encouraging
advice, may incite him to a better
course. When l see boys on The
street, or at public gatherings
conducting themselves rudely
and hear them use coarse, ignOblt
language, at which men often en-
couragingly laugh, l sometimes
| feel that men do not realize how
great a share is their responsible
ty in the perfect manhood whicl
should be the greatest desidera
tum of the youth of today. Ihav,
seen kind and good fathers VIII,
really did not seem to feel tn
anxiety about the characters thei
boys were developing, that tn
true mother always feels. 1t i
she who has the fear that "som
} rude touch their perfect growt
may mar. 1t is she who feels tina
"If the pruning-knife slips but little,
They must carry all their lives, scar"
PANSy