The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-18
MORAL CONDITION OF MEN,
Continued from page L.

will always throw out upon the world
those who will be a menace to law and
hurtful to society, and few of them will
ever reflect honor on the race, or achieve
anything in this life.
The average young man in this
country is hunting for good time, and
seems TO have very poor idea Of how
and where 70 find it. II he seeks it in
the club life or in the horse races, or in
society, he can but demonstrate himself
fool, and his life is o failure. The
wrecks along the shores of these rivers
! are many and fearful.
The highway to manhood, which may
not DO strewn with fruits and flowers,
virtue rewards itself as sure as The
way Of tho transgressor is hard" Many
of our young ladies give up to trashy
literature, to panionship with dude
and the life of butterfly. They are
neither fit for wives or housekeepers
would not not give ono the place of my
cook. Perverted lives, ruined happiness,
and shattered health, all await upon
those who seek happiness outside of toll
and usefulness.
If the world could be kept busy like
tho ebb and flow of the old Atlantic it
would stay poverty, idleness, prodiga,-
ity. vice and ruin, follow one upon tho
other, and form the rounds in the ladder
that leads downwards to the bottomless
pit. With fine sense of honor instilled
the heart full OF human Kindness the
soul full of love to man and constant
useful labor, these are the main stays
which tie us on to the anchor and holds
US secure until tho last dashing white
cap has lost it's fury and the sea is calm.
From president to pauper let it be q
race for manhood. From queen to the
cook let character and womanhood,
with all their sterling virtues, bedeck
each woman, until every man shall be
King and every woman princess.
The start for manhood is made in
baoyhood up through youthhood, and
the first twenty years of human life
will largely shape destiny and develop
the charac .er
When our sons and daughters sh sill
be made companions and friends of wise
parents and led along the lines OF
honor, and truth, and virtue, and no.
bility, the father leading the process
sion, the mother next, and on down
until the whole family is in line, they
shall mako pilgrimage through this
world, and when they depart hence the
world will be poorer because they have
gone, and heaven will be richer because
they have won it's crown.
Let every father and mother who
reads these lines compass their homes
about like angels of mercy and teach
their children true and better ways,
and thus we shall save the nation from
ruin and tho world from hell.
We need reform in our literature.
Some one has said that Zone never gets
over the influence of a bad hook" which
recalls the story OF the good old mother
whose seven sons went to sea. She
deplored the fact that her sons wore all
sailors, and said to friend visiting her:
"Oh! why in the providence of God have
all my sons gone to sea, leading a rough
sailors life, and leaving mo all alone?"
The friend cast his eyes above the
mantel, and there saw picture of a
great ship under full sail in mid. ocean,
and replied, Glow could your boys have
been anything else than sailors with
such picture before their eyes"
A picture, a book, a plaything will
turn the current OF a life like pebble
will turn the current OF a river, when
you drop the pebble near its source.
"A father once came into the room
where the children we're and said:
Children. II you don't stop that quar-
reling and fussing | will wear you outr
The little girl replied: Papa, wo are
not fussing." "Well, what are YOU
doing, them" She replied: Just
playing mamma and papa" MANY
children have played mamma and papa
in thousand ways, and played old
Harry while they were at it.
When father and mother, once got.
ting into buggy al tho front gate, lit
tie Willie, playing in the yard, ran
toward them and said, LET me go with
you" They replied, "All right; run
and get your hat" While he ran to
get his hat they drove off. When he
returned to the gate and looked up the
street and saw them aim ost out of sight
he threw up his hat and hollered, Big
gest liars in town" If that boy did not
grow up to be full hcdged liar, then
the picture of the ship cannot make
sailors of the mothers boys.
Let us teach our children that the
companionship OF dogs is less hurtful
to them than association with profane
swearers; with hogs better than COM
panionship with drinking men. AS
morals stand above manners let us
teach them that just so far is associa-
ton with brutes better than companion
ship with those who would hurt our
morals and ruin our character
SAM p. JONES.