The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-08-13
Saltwater, Minn, Thursday Aug. 13 1891.
The Neglected Guide.

The Neglected Guide.
It is truly lamentable how little atten-
ton some men pay to the voice of expert
ence. For if they would put into practical
use the knowledge gained from such rug
ged teacher the victims of inordinate or mis-
directed ambitions would not only be great
ly diminished but many homes from Maine
to California would present more health
full and cheering appearance. But it seems
that the great fault with many people is
that they are prone to cherish the idea that
they can succeed in some undertaking
which experience has proved to be beyond
their capabilities. 1t is true that ITO err
is human" but the class of which l write
persist in following the course that expert
ence has again and again admonished them
to be dangerous, if not wholly bad.
L was intimately acquainted with a man
one time who had worked his way, step by
step, from the position of Office boy to gen.
eral manager of large mercantile business.
And it was freely acknowledged that he
stood almost without an equal in his partic.
ular line of business. Still this man, en-.
jOying the unlimited confidence and respect
of all who came i'll contact with him, and
commanding salary that brought him
more in a month than the average man
could hope to earn in year, was in the
thrOeS of discomfort. A few more years of
toll would have made him independent for
the remainder of his days. But no, gOaded
on by the success which was characteristic
of every move he had made on the checker
board of life, he was led to believe that he
could bring into play the same keen judg-
ment in picking the winner of horse race.
that he exercised in determining the value
of certain quality of goods. The result
was that in less than year he was a fugi-
tive from justice. He had squandered not
only all he possessed. but had made large
hole in the capital of his employers. He
wandered about the country for some time,
but was finally permitted to return in peace
to his native city. He failed to find en-
poyment in his old line of business. but his
efforts were successful in another direction.
And, although the position he obtained was
lOwly one his rare business abilities rap.
idly paved the way to something higher,
until, at last, he was once more managing
extensive business interests. Yet. sad to
relate, after overcoming the many obstacles
that stood in his path, and rising upon the
wreck of tarnshed reputation to a posi-
tiOn superior in every way to any that he
had ever held, he again succumbed to the
wiles of speculation. His second venture
proved to, be repetition of his first, and to.
day. attired in the garb of poverty. he is
well-knOwn as a 10 cent combination
fend'' in the Turf exchanges of one of our
prominent western cities.
1t can be readily seen that if this man
had remained loyal to what he had learned
from dearly bought experience that he
would have beyond all possibility of doubt
maintained his position in the business
world. and made a grand success of life.
Still we must remember that it takes
man, the very highest type of a man. to
turn deaf ear to the whispering accents of
the motto. TRY, try again." when he has
once ventured to try his luck in the whirl.
pool of speculation. Hence it is that so
often is seen in every city men of
every calling in life posing as sporting men,
Jay GOulds', etc., when. if they were gov
erned by experience. they would be follow
ing occupations within their capabilities.
dare say there are many confined with.
in these four walls who would have pros
pered and made their mark in the world if
they had only confined their energies to
those channels which nature decreed they
were most capable of following. There is
no better witness of this fact than the
workmanship which is being constantly
turned out of this institution to the great
outside world. And it teaches us the beau
tiful lesson. that we were made to be pro-
ducers, instead of non.producers; mechan-
les. instead of thieves. In short. benefac.
tors, instead of malefactors. We have ex.
perienced both and it only remains to be
seen which calling will be accepted as the
most practicable, healthiest and safest to
pursue. The late John Boyle O'Reilly said:
''what would be wise, let him drink of the
| river
That bears on its waters the record of Time;
A message to him every wave can deliver
To teach him to creep till he knows how to
| climb"
F.B. II.