Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-02-28
SAVED FROM DISGRACE.
John sherman's Letter to au Old Friends
Son Prevented "a Wreck.

Son Prevented "a Wreck.
Where there are so many young men
and women struggling for a livllhood
as there is in Belding, it is reasonable
TO uppose there must be some that
are discouraged and who feel that life
is almost burden. To all such the
BANNER would commend the good ad-
vice given by John Sherman to young
friend and perhaps you too may find
help and strength therein.
When the late John Sherman was
secretary of state, young man, the
son of one of Sherman's schoolmates,
wrote to him for assistance, says the
Chicago Chronicle 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. To-day this
same young man is a prosperous mer-
chant in New York city. He says
that his position is due to the advice
given him by John Sherman in ans
wer TO his letter. The letter, which
the owner guards more carefully than
all his other possessions, is appended:
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.
LET me tell you that you have
reached that point in life when a man
must see the very best prospects for his
future career. You, al 30, stand on the
bridge that divides youth and manhood.
The one is dying, perhaps, but the 9TH
er will soon burst, young and hopeful
from the ashes and you will find your
self new being-a man. Do not let
your discomfort Kill this new life before
it is born
UNLESS you are physically deformed,
go TO work. Go to work at any honest
work if it only brings you dollar a
day. Then learn to live within that
dollar. Pay no more than 10 cents for
a meal and 20 cents for 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 cleanly. Abandon
liquor as you would abandon 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,
ait until you are in condition to
seek your level, and then seek it with
courage and tenacity. 1t may take
time TO reach it; it may take years,
but you will surely reach it-you will
turn from the workingman into the
businessman or the professional man,
with so much ease that you will mar
vel at IL But have one ideal and aim
Tor 1T. No ship ever reached its port
by sailing for dozen other ports at
the same time.
BE contented, for without content
ment there is no love or friendship, and
those blessings life is indeed,
hopeless case. Learn to love your
books, for there is pleasure, instruction
and friendshipin books Go to church,
Tor 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 whenev-
er you can, for music charms the mind
and fills "a man with lofty ideals.
Cheer upl Never want to die.
Why, am twice your age and oyer,
and | do not want to die. Get out in
TO the world Work, eat, sleep, read
and talk about the great events OF the
lay, even you are forced to go among
The laborers. Take the first honest
work you get, and then be steady, pa
siert, industrious, saving, kind. polite,
'tudious, temperate, am bilious, gentle,
owing, strong, honest, courageous aud
BE all 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!
EIouN SHERMAN