Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-12-17
ADVICE
MADE A MAN OF ONE WHO
SOUGHT 1T.
ROSE WITH FINE SPIRIT
After He Had Fallen So Low That
Hope Was Gone and He Was
Ready to Die-Hint Worthy of At
tention by Many Others Blase or
Discouraged.

Ten years ago, when the late John
Sherman was secretary of state says
Success in it's issue for December, a
young man, the son of one of Sher-
mans schoolmates, wrote to him for
assistance. He said that he had fallen
so low in life that there was no place
for him but the gutter; that existence
had become a burden, and that he
wanted to die. Today, this same young
man is a prosperous merchant in New
York city. He told Success that his
position is due to advice by John Sher-
man, given in answer to his letter.
Success was authorized to publish the
letter, which the owner guards more
carefully than all his other possessions.
Mr.. Sherman wrote:
'You say that your life has been
failure, and that you are thirty years
old, and ready to die, You say that
you cannot find work, and that you see
no hope in life. You say that your
friends do not care to speak to you
now.
Unless you are physically deformed
go to work. Go to work at any honest
work if it only brings you a dollar
day Then learn to live within that
dollar. Pay no more than ten cents
for a meal and twenty cents for a bed.
and save as much of the balance as you
can, and with the same intensity as you
would save your mothers life. Make
the most Of your appearance DO not
dress gaudily, but Clearly. Abandon
Liquor as you would abandon a pesti-
lence, for liquor is the curse that
wrecks more lives than all the horrors
of the world combined
If you are man of brains, as your
letter leads me to believe you are. wait
until you are in a condition to seek
your level, and then seek it with cour-
age and tenacity. 1t may take time 10
reach it; it may take years, but you
will surely reach it-you will turn from
the Workingman into the business
man, or the professional man, with so
much ease that you will marvel at ii
But have one ideal, and aim for it. No
ship ever reached its port by sailing for
dozen other ports at the same time
BE contended, for without content
ment there is no love or friendship,
and without those blessings life is, in
deed, hopeless case. Learn to love
your books, for there is pleasure, in
struction, and friendship in books. Go
to church, for the church helps to ease
the pains of life. But never be a
hypocrite; if you cannot believe in
God believe in your honor. Listen to
music, whenever you can, for music
charms the mind. and fills man with
lofty ideals.
Cheer up! Never want to ole. Why
am twice your age, and over, and I 10
not want to die. Get out into the
world. Work, eat, sleep, read and talk
about the great events of the day, even
if you are forced to go among laborers.
Take the first honest work you get, and
then be steady, patient, industrious,
saving, kind, polite, studious, tempe
rate, ambitious, gentle, loving, strong,
honest, courageous and contented.
"Be all of these, and, when thirty
years more have passed away, just
notice how young and beautiful the
world is, and how young and happy
you are! John Sherman"