River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-01-10
EXCUSE NE.
No Excuse Is Better Than a Good
One.
Luke sharp Gives Rising Young Man
some sound Advice. aud Tells a
story in support Of
Ills Theory.
Excuse me

Certainly. Pardon me
heard the above snatch OF CONVEX
ss:ion the last time was in New York.
j occurred in the evening at the New
York end Of Brooklyn Bridge, which,
at that hour. was crowded with men
hurrying home The snatch OF con-
versation reads rather like a polite re
mark and reiOinder. II was any thing
but ill., The first speaker was push
ing and elbOwing his way forward.
when he trOd on another's cOrns. The
second man swOre and glared around,
when the first said. suavely:
Excuse me-.
The wounded man like fash struck
out from the shoulder. knocked the
other in the middle OF next week. aud
replied:
Certainly. Pardon me
The striker rapidly disappeared into
the gathering gloom before the struck
recovered himself sufficiently TO shout
police
The moral Of the incident seemed TO
me to be that in some instances ex-
cuse don't go
The other day a boy about fifteen
years OF age called up at my room and
said, after introducing himself, that he
wanted advice"
about what?" l asked.
about nothing in Particular he
said.as he fumbied somewhat neryously
with his hat. You see. it's like this:
want to get along in the world and
would like 10 know what well-I
would like some advice
This was such an unusual request
from modern American boy that it
quite took nv breath away Most of
the boys vho CONS up to see me don't
want advice they want to know
Eherc to get cigarette pictures or tick
cts to some game.
Hooked at the boy who wanted ad-
vice. lie had fresh. honest face,
md felt had no hesitation in setting
him down - = good boy wlo would
probably make his way in the world.
Wei. my boy" J said. seriously,
''there i one thing Ia advise you -
quit. Il I was you, Ill stop getting
drunk and raising racket cu the
streets mt midnight aud getting run in.
That's my advice.
'Incver touched drop 81 liquor in
my life. said the bog. with 80 panied
an expression tha. I was sorry had
spoken in ,hj- way % him.
Don't sulose. / 9uppose?"
'.No. sir
Chew. saaI; aay thing Of tina,
kind2"
NO. sir"
Read flash n0vsls?"
mo. sir. "
'.Swc..r9~
mo. sir
Fight"
mo. sir"
Well" I said. chats sll very I'M
fortunate FOR M. II you have any
vices it would help me out If you tell
ne what they are II you committed
burglary as a relaxation or sand
bagged friend occasionally it would
make ms task a. adviser much easier.
As YOU don't DO any Of these things
I'll think over the matter, and il you
come up tomorrow Ill. perhaps. sec
nv way clearer than | do now"
The boy thanked me. although
Knew did not deserve any thanks.
Next day he called again. In the in
tsrvaI had remembered the incident
on Brooklyn bridge Now. the man
said Excuse me" ami had been knock
cd down
Well, my boy" began. 'my a.l-
vice is this: Never make AN excuse.
There is prOverb which SAYS; n
poor excuse i better than none. :
That adage i ~ wrong a. most
az them are Evau good eN-
cuse j. not better than none.
There are thousands 81 people in
this world. my boy. who are macnifi-
cent architects 90 EXCUSES. Some 81
them manage 10 get along prett,
well building mp imposing excuses
and letting others do their regu-
lar work, bat they never amount 10
much in the lone ran. No one ever
depends on q man WIG Is good nj ex-
cuscS-
When I was in Chicago las, summer
the city edito' IL Que az The papers
there told me this story. which viii
show the advantage 81 not having an
excuse:
Some years s-o "a grcru-iookiug fell
low appeared in the city editors room
from no one NncV where and wanted
lob. Tho city editor told him. a. he
had told hundreds of fellows before
him. that thers was TO vacancy al
present -thgt Is the usual formula -
but that If he came across a good bit
OF news IL would he cheerfu,ly accepted
and paid f0r-
We'll. the yoao- man brought in
what stun he could. and sometimes an
f,ern Or two Nas uSci. rrt mu-s often
rothin- vss ava1able. and tho fellow
lived IS bes- he cc1li and slept IN
sheds RI IT. tire pa-6 ard never grum-
bled. The elitcr began 70 get tired Of
seeing his want-striel1el tacc. and once
OF twice advised him % 20 nome. but
RE Young man said that perhaps a
chance would come along by ard by,
ard. ary hov. he was there 20 stay.
Oae night the city editor said 70 him
Il ycu wan. a chance. there's a
beautiful one open for you tonight.
The sreej-ca- men arc having meet
ings every night. aud We cant ind out
what they're NJ to They meet a. tho
corner Of Ifs street and - ave
1Cc."
.All right. said tho young man
Have YOU any objection to NY say
trg I'm a reporter on this paper?'
Mono il the least" said the edit
or, with 4 grin L may say. though.
that Ratigan. who tried 20 get last
nights meeting. IS II the hospital TO-
day
Seeing how much ~ earnest the
young man was The city editor added:
The meeting IS SHADES regular as
segment tonight, but ! dou't think
he'll get much except } brOkes head
perhaps Any how if YOU set any
thing :; al it'll help 0u- Here's 3