Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-05-10
FATHER'SLETTER|
Hon,ely Advice for a College
Youth.

NV Dear Son-In this letter l am in
closing the. 81 you want. l lind 1t is
getting a habit with me to send money
every time l write to you. l won't be
mean enough to say that it makes me
know my letters are always welcome,
and, besides, don't mind it anyway if
all the money goes for as good pur-
pose as you want this. For "a you
ought to be able to get pretty good
students lamp. Remember how A.
Lincoln laid in front of the fireplace
and studied, and then think how lucky
you are.
l hope you will really make this
students lamp, because your mother IS
doing without the footwear she wanted
for the buggy this winter that you may
have it. | have noticed that a students
lamp will give just as much light for
an amateur poker game as it will for
the working out of algebra problems.
Remember you're out there to figure
the algebra, and not the ante--though
both abound in unknown quantities.
Speaking of unknown quantities, l |
was a little in doubt for a while about |
something in your last letter. There,
where you speak of several Jungle
birds being among the members OF
the legislative committee which Wis
tied the university. You know l never
got diploma, even from what now
passes for grammar school. But I've
kept my eyes open out here on the
| farm most of the time it was daylight,
AID l fancy l know little about
ornithology firsthand. Guess you didn't
know your father had that word in his
| stock. Well listen to this-I think a
Jungle bird" must be a 'rara avis.
Speaking seriously, know you don't
mean any harm, and l understand IL,
but others may not. So maybe 1t
would be best if you don't try to apply
grotesque names to farmers, at least
until you've cut your eye teeth. l
know we're called "clod-hoppers" and
"apple knockers and hill billies,
and none of us amt been hurt yet
But it don't sound just right from
young man of your years.
Just remember that if these jungle
birds" weren't pretty smooth fellows
they wouldn't be on legislative commit
tees. And recollect that all the time
you're practicing with the crew, II
you're ever that lucky, that you're just
strengthening your back to thin corn
in vacation, if the boys of that tenant
on the back part of the place, who gen
orally do it, should get sick.
Your early triumph as a freshman
has pleased me- You needn't be disap
pointed that you weren't made class
president. None of you boys knows
anything about each other yet. In two
: or three years, after they find out What
you're made of, then if you don't gel
elective honors you may begin to ash
Yourself questions. In the meantime
of course, you will do your best as vel
leader of the first-year men-as you
call them. l want you to put you
heart into it-holler louder, twice al
loud if you can, than any OF thos'
other fellows Your early training
calling the hogs from the creek pas
ture will come in handy. You are a.
ready beginning to appreciate what
kind father has done for you.
Your mother and l have talked tw
or three times after supper about tn
evening clothes you want. OF course
we want you to have plenty OF clothe
in the evening, in the morning an
afternoon. and at night, too, for tina
matter. At first your mother wa
kinder in favor of gratifying your hig
ambition, but she agrees with me thf
| that would be going it little too fas
even for young man who is gong
have an education with all the frlll
NV acquaintance with evening clothe
dress suits is the same thing, ain
tits rather limited. I've seen thre
or four lecturers who have come to II
hall wear them, and when I've been
to sell carload of steers l notice u
walters around the hotels. l kno
you're not going to lecture, or carl
around food, and 1 know that, perhap
there will come times when you w
J need a swallow-tai but for awhile su
pose we let her go.
You might forget yourself and ac'
dentally appear in it before the clo'
struck six, and then the family's nan
would be disgraced. You'd better wa
until you're more acclimated.
Remembering the 81 l spoke OF
- first. guess I'll sign myself, Without
:, Struggle. Your Father.-St. Louis Il
is public.