San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-16

companionship.
The first lesson that the young
man learns in society is that he IL
one OF a job lot. He is no longer
as perhaps he has been, the auto
crst Of home, but is put on his
mettle IL not on his merits and
made to 60 throug his PAGES in new
company. II he cannot hold the
gait he Inevitably falls to the rear
and some other fellow goes under
the wire a winner. The stakes are
the approval Of his set and the
leadership OF the particular society
OF which he is one individual.
Nothing will take the conceit out
Of a young man as effectually as
being sat down on by some young
ster of his own kidney so effectual-
ly that he is laid out fat, or to be
snubbed by that particular miss
upon whom he has set his particu-
lar seal of distinction.
Having found out that society
can dispense with his presence as
well as not, he sets himself to work
to make himself indispensable to
it, that is if he is not a crank. He
finds that to please is the great de-
sideratum and he sets himself to
work to meet the demands OF the
situation. He carefully keeps in
the background whatever opinions
and actions and mannerisms he
finds to be unpopular and taking a
good lick at the blarney stone goes
in to win. Nine times out Of ten
he is successful, for any man can
be popular who is willing to pay
the price.
6 RICH is here the danger
lies and unless there is a good foun-
dation of solid sense and firmness
the mischief will be done before
the young man is conscious of IT,
He will sink not only his individ-
uality in the mass, but his sense
Of right and honor and manlinese
will shape itself to fit the mold Of
the opinions around him and his
personality is lost forever. He
lives and dies a piece Of human put
ty, taking on all impressions and
retaining none any longer than a
new one can be printed upon the
ever changing face Of his plastic
nature.
Escaping this danger, seeing the
in%sincerity of society and that 1t is
not set for the elevation of the real
man or woman, the revolt almost
always leads to the other extreme,
and the opinion is enormously
formed that society is only an evil
to be avoided. This type Of a man
becomes either a recluse or he
avoids the social circles and finds
his recreat1ons in the club rooms
and in the public saloons. He is
lost to the seductions OF the society
OF fashionable life, but he Is
won to the seductions Of a life in
which the refinement of woman's
presence and spirit is not a factor
and the result is rot to his advan-
tage. This character Of man soon
grows to dislike the restraints OF
the social circle and it soon knows
him no more forever. He marries
and his hours Of recreation are
spent away from home and in the
old haunts that swallowed up his
hours before he took to himself a
wife. Either this, or he remains
single and a confirmed "man about
town."
Society is in some measure to
blame for this result, but not
wholly, for it is in no small meas
ure owing to his own lack Of dis
elimination. The wise man takes
a grip upon that which is best in
social life, seeks out genial COM
panions from among the mass,
concerns not himself about the
opinions OF the crowd, instinctively
grows to lose sight OF the under
current Of meanness that flows
through so much OF the social life
and finds real pleasure and a de-
cided good in intercourse with the
young people OF his set. Society
teaches him the need Of selecting
the good and casting aside the bad /;
OF depending upon his own powers
of discrimination in deciding what