The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-07-28
-SATURDAY........JULY 2S, 1900
Weather forecast for Fred
eTickSburg and Vic'Rity
Fair, moderate temperature.
A WORD TO BOYS.

Dogs Ittle kuOW HOW tuelE 0IuoEs,
particularly the men of business,
watch their characters and lives as
they are growing up. While in the
role OF street urehin, running bare
foot and practieing the demoniscsl
devices of the craft, they are mould
ing opinions which are to make or
mar them in the future. The matter
OF primary Importance to every bust
ness man is that Of trusted subordi-
mates. Reliable sDd efficient en-
ployes are priceless to men of bust.
ness. and the disposition to watch out
for character is second nature TO such.
So, possibly years before boy is
aware that even his name is known
to the over-worked business man, his
character and disposition are men
tally indexed for future reference.
Hence it is that in after years some
youths are ignored by the business
men of the community, and they have
trouble in securing desirable posi-.
tons, while others are sought after
and command good salaries.
If the boys could beimpressed with
the fact that their characters are thus
going to record on the mental tablets
of the best men of the community,
there is little doubt that it would
be greater incentive to lead correct
lives, such as would leave an i'm
press upon characters that are in
the moulding state. 1t must not be
inferred that men view with disfavor
the FRANKS and so-called badness" in
boys. They know that boy ofstrong
character usually displays these
traits, yet is free from dispositions
to be mean, sly, selfish, false in tongue
and action cor given to dishonors
BILE dealings, even in his little sphere.
These are characteristics which dis
tinguish the dishonorable boy from
the manly one, and the sharp'eyed
business man is quick to detect them.
When possessing the desirable traits
q youth is never forgotten by his cid.
ers. and though he may leave home
for period of years, upon his return
he is at once recalled and recognized
by an involuntary reference to mem
ory's pages. The same is true of the
characterless boy. His elders recall
him, and through life, no matter how
much be may have done to redeem
himself, the record stands, and comes
to the front unbidden whenever he is
seen or heard Of.
Almost invariably the character.
istics displayed in boyhood follow
into youth, and, in manhood he
who earnestly desires to reform,
finds the shirt of Nemesis, woven
in youth, binding him with its strong
folds and few are able to rid them
selves Of it. This is the gtage Of life
when the rejecting young man first
wishes that be could live over again
his boyhood. But our dissertation is
digressing-we were writing for the
benefit of the boys, all Of whom we
love; they are the men of the fu-
ture who are to take our places. For,
when we, who may be blessed with |
long life, are old and gray it is the |
boy Of to-day who is moving this old |
world-theoreticslly in the word,
practically in the sense.
OF the boy who has grown into the |
young man Hetty Green, I" the richest |
woman in America and the peer in |
business Of any Wall Street broker,
makes the following striking obser.
vations in the Ladies' Home Journal:
lone trouble with many young men
who start out Ia business is they try to |
do too many things at once. The result |
is that they d0n't know as much as |
they ought TO know about any one |
thing, and they naturally fail The |
trouble with young men who work on |
salaries is that they're always afraid OF |
doing more than they're paid for. Tney |
don't enter into their work with the
right spirit To get on and be appreciated |
q Young man must do more than be Is
paid to do. When he does something |
that his employer has not thought Of
he shows that he Is valuable. Men are
always willing TO pay good salaries TO
people who will think Of things for them.
The man who only carries out the
thoughts and ideas Of another is moth.
ing more than mere tool Men who can
be relied upon are always In demand.
The scArcest thing in the world to day
Is a thOrOuRhly reliable man -