The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1907-02-09
On Leaving Home.

walking on an errand or business with |
in sight and hearing Of many persons.
hut keeping no lookout for familiar
faces. when most respectful and friend
ly salutatiOn greeted BY my ears from a
whilom pupils. His cordial greetings
in his boyhoOd days were as conspicuous
as his conduct was cOmmendable; have
never forgotten his rare truthfulness
and candor. he never seemed to hesitate
whether the truth or lie should be the
response to questions regarding how he
had spent any part of his previous TWEEN
tv four hours-whether in diligrnt stu
DIV or culpable incidence; the truth al
ways rushed forward with impetuOsity.
sometimes with blush indicative Of
wasted moments. 1t can be- said with
truth that he was gifted with comment
dable discretion of never running anv
risk Of Overtaxing his mental organism
by too diligent application to his books.
Our conversation began 10 ruL on the
line of social and mental opportunities
which town Of the size Of st. Martin
Vile offers, when the often heard and
much needed summons "All aboard"
prevented the formation Of any extern
ded ideas OH the subject My young
friend to whom refer has Travelled some
in portion of our great country. Dur
ing the interchange of a few ideas which
were prevented FROM expanding by the
summons "all aboard, 1 discovered n
feeling Of restless dissatisfaction with
the social and intellectual OppOrtuni-
ties which our town affords a young
man. He evidently feels that his time
is being wasted here; that his mental
PREPARATION and cultivation are not
bringing the results desired and should
be expected and obtained.
There is deep seated yearning for a
change In his surroundings. which be
thinks removal to largea place would
prove advantageous to his social aud
mental cravings; that in such place as
he might select, he would find suita-
bic field Cor the cultivation aud realiza-
tiOn of the advantages which are denied
him here. This is natural feeling for
one who has been abroad little way
from home with money in his pocket.
and with no fear of its becOmidg exhaus-
ted knowing that when the bottom dol
lar is reached his father has another to
keep it company. This feeling of con-
tentment regarding the demands of bo-
dy for food and raiment gives the mind
an opportunity to wander and plan
schemes of what might be done under
changed condition and surroundings. |.
in my young manhood days entertained
some of the feelings which now harass
this young man, but | never felt any
deprivation Of intellectual aud social ad.
vantages. for fortunately had access
to varied mental culture and high So
cial station. / fOOlishly, as low think,
gave up both in obedience to All uncOn-
querable desire to quit the land of nv
birth and TO cast my lot among strang-
ers, though had no ducats to draw up
Oh when those then in pocket were ex-
hausted.
gave no thought of the advantages
which abandoned and afterwards
craved; nor Of the friends of my youth,
nor those Of mature years. nor of kin
dred that was leaving behind. wanted
to see the world-that is how things and
people looked a long distance from home.
The pain caused by parting from my
aged mother could not subdue this feel
ing of unrest which was like the kind
that now disturbs my young friend. I-left
her without saying adieu. stole away,
because did not want to bear the pain of
uttering the word. farewell; a species of
cowardice Of which have been guilty
a number of tunes. This shows but one
of the struggles with which l had 10 con-
tend when left home to venture amung
strangers. II you will permit me to de
scend from the serious to the frivolous,
will say that l even separated from a
glri whose heart kept step with mine in
aifectiODate thrObs. The desire to leaye