The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-01-01
ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN.
Some Talk From those of Long Esperi-
ence
Ne,v York Herald.

Some Talk From those of Long Expert.
ence.
Ncw York Herald.
That the Herald always keeps in touch
with the people is shown by the loads of
letters-ffom all parts of the country aud
on every conceivable subject-Hhich dali
" come to this Office.
One of these letters, just received, runs
in the following strain
am country boy. came from o
farm in New Hampshire to New York
with the hopes of making name aud
fortune. Either the fame or the fortune
would satisfy me, but prefer both If
they are within reach.
Will you kindly tell me how l can
carve out fer myself successful career?
The result of our experience and obser.
walton are entirely at your service, young
man.
Suppose We begin our conversation
by defining terms. What do you mean
by Ga successful career 2"
If, as you say, you are ambitious to be-
come millionaire two or three times
over your chance is one in thousand.
Possibly you may be that one. It de.
pends on your natural gifts aud your op-
portunities. But how about the other
nine hundred and ninety nine? Are
their lives to be failure because they
can't acquire an immense bulk of capi-
tai?
In other words is surplus of cash the
prime factor in the problem of happi-
ness, and is citizens usefulness to be
measured by his bank account solely?
You may also get the fame you wish.
It depends on your education, on the
quantity and quality of your brains, and
on your native genius. With these,
everything is possible; without them,
you will everlastingly hunger for the un-
attainable, and in the end draw the COW
erlid of wasted life over your head and
die disappointed man.
The number of those who achieve such
greatness that the public build monu-
ments to their memory is very few, but
if your name happens to be in that list,
the Herald will gladly subscribe for the
purpose.
Don't make any mistakes in this mat
ter. If you want to get out of life all
there is in it-for you-there is way to
do it.
|. Real happiness consists of health, self
respect, the good will of the community
and sufficient income to crafty your
reasonable wants. Everything else is
trivial and not worth bothering about.
The man who has steady work, fair
wages, q cosy home, enough to eat, q
thick overcoat, and the consciousness of
personal integrity, is nightly favored
fellow, in possession of more than three
quarters of the best things which this
world affords.
Now, you can have sll this if you
make certain rules the basis your con
duct.
l. Don't aim too high, but aim straight.
Emerson's advice to Glitch your wagon
to star" is the merest buncombe of
rhetoric. You will produce larger prac-
tical results if you hitch your wagon to q
we'll fed mule.
Lopgfellow's poem, Excelsior" is
another bit of exquisite trash. Of course,
it is beautiful, "and all like that, you
know" but it is not adapted to rough
and tumble fight with circumstances.
The young man in that poem shoulders
q flag and starts for-well, for nowhere,
so far as re can discover. He is one Of
the climbers-an explorer of the celestial
Alps. When he gets to the top Of hill
he turns back and screams out Excel.
sior." What for can't say. This is q
free country, however, and he can do as
he pleaaes. Up he trudges until he gets
to the snow capped summit of the ascent.
Unreasonable boy he seems to be just
as dissatisfied as ever Evidently he
wants the earth. In spite of a chronic
bronchitis and in constant danger of
pneumouia, he waves bis bunting, yells
''Excelsior!' once more and strikes out
for an attitude where the mercury freezes
in the bulb.
He may be going yet, for aught we
though, and his flag by this time must be
In tatters.
You want to get rid of a good deal of
this "excelsior" folderol. 1t is q mighty
poor investment of talent. Stay down
below, and let the glaciers and mountain
peaks take care of themselves
second-Do your work well, no matter
what it is. Study your business. Make
yourself master of it by putting your head
and heart into it. If it is bookkeeping,
then keeps books iu such q fashion that
the Angel Gabriel will want to lend you
his crown as token of approval. If you
are mechanic, or artisan, or farmer, be
proud OF yourself, ard the rest ofthe
world will soon come to beproud of you.
Nothing is needed 30 much iu this gene.
ration as man with skilled fingers. You
may have long pull, but the clock will
strike an unexpected hour, and the op.
portunity, which comes to everybody in
turn, but which most people miss, will
present itself. Study the bulldog, and
when you get your teeth into big thing,
let them stay there.
Third-Save money. The coward ruus
in debt, the brave man has So surplus
in his pocket. The world may laugh at
you because you can't have q four in
hand necktie. All right, let it laugh,
YOU are your own world, and the people
who sneer arp simply outside barbarians.
When they see that s. bill growing big,
ger they will all want to shake hands
with you and send you to Congress.
Keep we'll within your income and you
will save yourself from skulking round
the corner like licked dog when the
dun is on your trace. The handiest
thing on the planet is the penny laid up
for rainy day.
Now, young, sir, get rid Of the nonsense
that you are genius, settle down to the
conclusion that you are just an average
North American boy, and then start in
Keep yourself alert, look after your di'
gestive apparatus, don't smoke cigarettes,
get to bed early, be square toed in all
your dealings, and we will wager cook
ie that at 60 you vii have to look back
ward for those who began the race when
you did.
Are you ready? Then go?