The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-02-08
EXCUSE NE. /"
No Excuse Is Better Than a Good
One.
Luke sharp Gives Rising Young MAJ
some sound Advice. aud Tells
Story In Support OF
His Theory.
slExcuse me. y


heard the above snatch of CONVEX
sation the last time was in New York.
1t 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-
yer sation reads rather like a polite re-
mark and rejoinder. 1t was any thing
but that. 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 flash struck
out from the shoulder, knocked the
other in the middle of next week, and
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 chat in some instances ex-
cuse don't 'sgo.n
The other day boy about fifteen
years OF age called up at my room and
said. after introducing himself, that he
wanted advice"
about whatp'' l asked.
about nothing in particular. he
said. as he fumbled somewhat nervously
with his hat. You see, it's like this:
want TO get along in the world and
would like to know what-well-I
would like some advice.
This was such an unusual request
from a modern American boy that it
quite took my breath away. Most Of
the boys who come up to see me don't
want advice-they want to know
where to get cigarette pictures or tick
cts to some game
/ looked at the boy who wanted ad-
vice. He had a fresh, honest face,
and I felt had no hesitation in setting
him down as a good boy who would
probably make his way in the world.
''Well, my boy l said. seriously,
ssthere is one thing I'd advise you to
quit If [ was you, I'd stop getting
drunk and raising racket on the
streets at midnight and getting run in.
That's my advice"
.'Inever touched drop of liquor in
my life said the boy, with so panied
an expression that l was sorry I had
spoken In this way to him
Don't smoke, I suppose?n
'.No, sir"
kindPn
mo, SIR"
Read flash novels2T
mo. sir"
s.Swear2''
mo. sir.''
'Fight?''
mo, sir.
s.Well.' 1 said, 'that's all very un-
fortunate for me. If you have any
vices it would help me out if you tell
me what they are. If you committed
burglary as a relaxation or sand
bagged friend occasionally it would
make my task as adviser much easier
As you don't do any of these things
I'll think over the matter, and if you
come up tomorrow I'll, perhaps, see
my way clearer than do now"
The boy thanked me, although /
knew I did not deserve any thanks.
Next day he called again. In the in
terval had remembered the incident
on Brooklyn bridge. Now, the man
said Excuse me" and had been knock
ed down.
We'll. my boy" / began, ''my ad-
vice is this: Never make an excuse.
There is a proyerb which says: "A
poor excuse is better than none
That adage is as wrong as most
Of them are. Even good ex-
cuse is not better than none.
this world, my boy, who are magnif-
cent architects of excuses. Some OF
them manage to get along pretty
well building up imposing excuses
and letting others do their regu-
lar work, but they never amount to
much in the long run No one ever
depends on a man who is good at ex-
cuses.
When was in Chicago last summer
the city editor of one of the papers
there told me this story, which will
show the advantage of not having an
excuse:
Some years ago a green looking fel-
low appeared in the city editors room
from no one knew where and wanted a
job. The city editor told him, as he
uztQ GO1Q nuuUEOQS VI 10lAOHS O01OEc
him, that there was no vacancy al
present that is the usual formula
but that If he came across a good BIZ
of news it would be cheerfully accepted
and paid for.
Well. the young man brought in
what stuff he could, and sometimes an
item or two was used; but more often
nothing was available, and the fellow
lived as best he could and slept in
sheds or in the park and never grum-
bled. The editor began to get tired OF
seeing his want-stricken face, and once
or twice advised him to go home, but
the young man said that perhaps a
chance would come along by and by,
and, any how, he was there to stay.
One night the city editor said to him:
IF you want a chance, there's a
beautiful one open for you tonight.
The street-car men are having meet
ings every night, and we can't find out
what they're up to. They meet at the
corner of It's street and - ave-
nue.
''A1 right" said the young man.
Have you any objection to my say
ing I'm a reporter on this paper?"
None in the least" said the edit
IT ,,,oxx aoxv