The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-10-11
CARELESS YOUNG MEN.

The habit of the boy are apt to be
the habits of the man. More def
nitely and correctly, the habits of the
boy about entering manhood are apt
to follow through the young man
hood. Probably the most regretable
habit young man can form and
practice, aside from actual vicious
ness, is that of care1essness. "Ha1f-
DOING tasks Of all kinds, including
school work the frequent use of the
answer, ''I forgot )" rakish or SLOW
enly personal appearace in the matter
of dress, and disinclination to take
important things seriously, are very
grave defects in the young character.
No we'll balanced person will build
strongly on future probabilities.
Rather, he will assume, as early as
possible, habits of reliance on self /;
for, no matter how fattering may be
future prospects, no one has a guar
antee that they will materialize.
Every day at school, every opportuni-
ty for acquiring knowledge, every
chance to become proficient in trade
or business, should be improved as
conscientiously as if it was the last.
1t is trite saying, but one which
cannot be too often repeated, "There
is always room at the top" The
world wants, and will provide for,
specialists. The young man who has
talent, or inclination, for some
special line of work, and will persis-
tently perfect himself in it until he
can do this work as we'll as the best,
is assured of a competence but, the
ordinary individual, who can be found
anywhere, plays the supernumerary
all through life.
1t may be said that some do not
possess special fitness for anything
no special ability so pronounced as to
assert itself unmistakably. This may
be true, in some cases, but we doubt
the numerous existence of sh"h.
What is more likely true, is, that a
great many lack the advantages of
developing their talents, and this
must forever remain misfortune !;
but, we refer more especially to those
who have both talents and opportu-
mites and fail to make the best use of
them.
The boy who always leaves the
door stand open; who needs several
times telling for the performance of a
simple task; who loves the street
more than study; who keeps doubt
full companionships; who hurries
through his work in a slip-shod man
ner SO as to be early on the ball
ground who lacks politeness to his
parents and sisters; who assumes Sc
rious obligations and soon forgets
them; who is careless in dress, and
prefers to dispense with the A. B. c.
or whatever may be at his hand to do,
in order to get done quickly, is also
the one likely to fail to discover that
he has an Unborn speciality, or, know
ing one, fails to make the best of his
opportunities for the development
of it.
Unfortunately, young men are too
liable to be young fools. Place the
average one in the face of a great re-
sponsibility-the unexpected death of
his father, for instance-and he is
practically helpless to assume the
stern duties naturally devolving upon
him. He is not only unable to make
more than bare living for himself,
but utterly incapable of providing for
his mother, younger brothers and
sisters, or whoever may have a natur-
al right to look to him, in part, at
least, for the support they have ire
trievably lost.
At such crisis, the manly, level
headed, earnest and thorough young
man, proves the value of his qualities.
He is equipped, first of all, to receive
outside aid, for the community al
ways has its opinion of whom it can
trust, and, as a rule, stands ready to
offer substantial encouragement and
opportunity to such as are worthy.
No greater mistake can be made by
anybody than that he is truly known
but to his own immediate family.
His world knows him almost as we'll.