Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-20
BURDETTE TO BOYS.
The Renowned Humorist's Address BE-
fore the Richmond College Societies.
Be DILIGENT IN BUSINESS.
rb,. the Theme Of the Orators Finished
and Entertaining Orstion-medai
Prssentation-The Trustees


mond College last night. He was greeted
by a splendid audience that hiied th'
chape! to OVERLOOKING.
heavy shower accompanied by thun
der and lightning. fell just at the hou'
appointed for the exercises TO begin ou
this seemed to have no effect on the dis
tinguished and appreciative gathering wh'
welcomed Mr.. Burdette.
The address was highly brilliant ef
fort, replete with humor, and at times
pathetic, and as the orator warmed up t
his subject his auditors became enthusec
and he was loudly applauded throughout
AIr. Burdette, who az a newspaper writer
gained honorable notoriety-in fact. fame
Is a forclble talker. and although ever
In ordinary conversation II Is exceedingly
difficult for him 10 refrain from humor
as a public speaker he IL an eminent
morallst, and with an outer coating OF
fun and wit he advances arguments and
suggestions which give food for reflection
and contain much wholesome truth.
THE ORATOR PRESENTED.
The exercises were opened with prayer
by Rev. DR.. W. +. Dunnaway, OF Frede-
ricksburg, after which Mr.. Wyndham X.
Meredith president OF the societies, in
troduced Mr.. Burdette. He referred 10
him as a man who was enshrined In the
affections Of the Richmond public. and
as he advanced TO the front of the ros-
trum the applause which was given him
attested the truthfulness OF Mr.. Mere
diths assertion.
Mr. Burdette hardly waited for the APP
plause to subside before beginning. With
a merry twinkle in his eye. he said: You
will find my text in Proverbs xii, 70:
Seest thou man diligent in his business
lie shall stand before kings; he shall not
stand before mean men"
Now I take it," said My. Burdette
that some of you hope to stand head
and shoulders above other men; that you
intend to be leaders. My boy, you want
TO start at once. right now. as you 20
out Of these college doors. The history
OF the other sex is enough to put 10
shame the average man. When i say the
average man j mean the real. live. mascu-
line man. who wears trousers, ana is con-
sidered man. l don't mean dude
Woman has always been regarded as the
weaker sex. and her sphere Is considered
to have bounds which are insurmountdble
Yet woman has taken her place in all OF
the walks OF life and Is rapidly elbowing
men out OF the way. She has elbowed
her way along until long ago she pushed
aside the soft young man, who parts
his hair in the middle, and with necktie
Immaculate and a seraphic smile on his
face. was won't 90 stand behind a counter
and measure OF calico and silks by the
ward"
EVEN AT THE BAR.
In humorous vein the speaker con.
tinued outlining the various trades ana
Industries which woman had entered. and
by reference 20 her having been lately
admitted to the bar I'm Virginia drew
forth ripple Of laughter. Continuing
he said: she has gotten everything she
has reached out for, and she is going 10
continue to get what she wants. You can
depend on that.
Now let's return TO the text, The Man
That is Diligent' Nothing is said here
about his grandfather having been dill
gent. II is the man. not his ancestry.
You hear men talking and Boosting Of
theiy blue blood and their long line OF
ancestry. That's all right. They ara
good things to have. But the man who
continually haps on his ancestors-my
hoy, that man needs ancestors. You
can depend on II that that II all he has.
Q.aughter) ! have no doubt that II hi,
ancestors were present they'd be as
ashamed OF him as he Is proud OF them"
BOYS SHOULD AIM HIGH.
Mr.. Burdette here referred to the
aspirations of young men, and urged
those to whom he spoke 10 aim high.
Every party In the land" said he, els
looking for one man TO lead them. Now
you. my boy. be that man. No doubt
II you stood head and shoulders above
your fellow-men. and you were chosen
as President there would be at least
one thousand men who would say that
they were the first to mention your name
for the Office" lie urged the young men
not to depend on others, but to carve
their own way 10 fortune and renown.
and continuing spoke Of the men who
were overworked. You hear Of over
worked men, said he. men who have
died from overwork but affirm that the
majority Of them die from over recrea-
ton. Investigate half OK those cases Of
overworked people, and you will find that
too much food and high living was the
cause Of death. Their stomachs are what
kills them.
HARD WORK OF MINISTER'S.
Look at the minister's" and az he
spoke he waved his hand IN the direction
of quite a ministerial array which sat
before him. mo men work harder than
they Every time they get a raise Of
salary they have to work hard TO collect
the raise. No, 1t isn't hard work that
kills men; 1t is recreation and pleasure
In leisure hours. You sit up all night
working hard on one Of your studies
and you go 20 sleep after daylight has
Keen streaming for some time in at
your window. You sleep sweetly and
wake up and walk down the broadcast
street In the city not ashamed TO look
any man In the face. Now take the other
side You go out for a time with the
boys. and come home about or O'Clock
in the morning. You wake up late and
find that the softest and largest felt hat
In the room won't fl you. You go out,
and, afraid - look people in the eyes.
you sink through dark alleyways.
"Oh. my boy, want you 70 have fun
lots Of IL. I would not shut out ray OF
fun from your life for worlds. But the
fun that tails off with a headache the
next morning isn't much fun. now Is it?
Ths fun that will make you lie like a
pirate rather than tell OF IL to your
mother isn't much fun; do you think so?
You say IL is only small fun. That s
true | don't know anything that is
smaller.
ATTEND TO YOUR BUSINESS
'Scsst thou n man diligent in his
business That don't say anything about
your neighbours business. The man that
Is diligent in his neighbours business does
not stand before kings. He usually
stands before the police magistrate.
never NEEDLE in my neighbours business
When the snow falls on my sidewalk
am very particular not 10 do my neigh
his side | am very careful not to throw
1t out on the street-car track, where
throw mine. but L put 1t back again at
once on his side, where / got H. In my
kindness | am better than Providence;
aid Providence give him two shovel
fuls II is a very comforting thought to
me sometimes that don't have to do all
the work"
AND BE DILIGENT.
Diligence was next touched on by the
speaker ITO b. diligent in your bust
ness" he said. you must have business
to be dlligent In. Try to do one thing.
You say the man who does that Is a
crank. l don't know about that | never
met but about six cranks. A crank. my
son. is man who keeps on doing some
thing. When God wants a crank he picks
out the best man In the community. God
can set crank at something. go of, and
come back go years afterwards, and find
him doing the same thing. IL you know
one thing YOU know more than 10 90 men