The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-12-16
Profiting by the Experience
of Others.

Sometimes. 1T seems to be almost
useless to gather the lessons of ex-
perience as guide for younger men :;
for many of them reject all advice
and seek experience of their OWL
After a man has reached middle age,
however, he sees so clearly the mis-
takes of his youth that be can scarce
ly help giving advice in the hope
that some few may heed it and be
spared his bitter experience. In the
play of "The Old Homestead"
tramp appears before the kindly old
farmer, who asks him what brought
him to that condition. The tramp
explains that be ran away from
good home because he wanted to
have his own way, and the farmer
remarks drily: "You look is if you
had bad it." The line is a telling
one, partly because it expresses
general truth which comes home to
many in the audience. They may
not have descended so low as the
tramp, but they have experienced in
some degree the effect of having
ones one way despite the advice OF
their elders. There is scarcely
man of middle age who has not some
regrets for wasted opportunities of
his youth. Very many of the regrets
relate to neglected studies. Years of
painful effort have been required, in
some cases, to make amends for
few hours stolen from school at
time when it was an easy matter to
acquire knowledge Or skill. What is
the use? asks the school boy, and
his parent can answer only vaguely
that Knowledge is power" and a
degree from college serves as an in
PRODUCTION to positions of import
ance. The youth is head-strong and
self opinionated. He can get along
very we'll without mathematics or
some other study equally objection
able, and so he plays his games, gets
plucked in due course and enters
into the world of business. After a
time he finds opportunities for ad-
vancement eluding him because be
is not possessed of the technical
knowledge that is required. He is
bright enough and has every quality
required for promotion except exact
knowledge of fundamentals. Then
he attempts to make up for the lost
hours of his youth and finds it very
difficult task, partly because he has
little time for study; chiefly because
he has passed the age when it is easy
to acquire knowledge from books
He may overcome all difficulties by
perseverance, but at cost much
greater than that be would have had
to pay in his youth. Scarcely has he
accomplished his purpose before he
finds bis own boys following in his
footsteps. They also are averse to
stndy. He tells them the story of
his life and begs them to be warned
by his experience, but they have
heard tales like that before. Times
have changed since the father was
boy, and they want to have some ex
perience of their own and so they
repeat his life, aud when they have
reached mature years repeat also his
lessons to another generation. This
is the common experience, yet some
times the words of warning NAV be
heard and needed, and it is worth
while to cry aloud if only one of
multitude may be saved. It is, how
ever, sad and disbeartening to see
young men throwing away opportu-
mites to fit themselves for high place
that they may have temporary en-
joyments. Youth is the time for
study, earl y monhood for work and
saving, and middle age the time for
enjoyment of the fruits of industry
and thrift. It is not necessary that
all the period of youth shall be given
up to study or all of early manhood
to work; but these are the periods
when the best results may be obtain |
ed, and the pleasures of life should |
then be made subordinate to study |
and work. Experience will teach tho