The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-28

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is chance.
To Young GirI-Don't
Some years ago woman of my &C
quaintance married a man because she
thought she was able to reform him.
The man was a rake.
And there was the usual outcome
years of misery and at the end of 1t a
divorce.
l have read in novels about the ref
ormation wrought by wives of drunk
en- or shiftless or vicious husbands
1 have seen the mimic miracle enacted
on the stage. But l have never yet
known a single successful case in real
life.
do not say such a thing may not
be done. but 80 times out of 100 1t is
failure.
My dear girl
Do not attempt the impossible. If a
man will not be a man for his own
sake or for decency's sake he will not
be one for your sake.
He might behave himself during tn e
honeymoon; but, believe me, when the
everyday harness of matrimony be-
gins to bind he will kick over the
| traces.
Marriage does not change one.
There Is no magic in the beautiful
words of priest or preacher that will
transform the character of a bride
groom.
You can Influence him?"
Yes; if he is started on the upward
way you can help him immensely. II
he is headed in the other direction
| your influence cannot and will not
change the fiber of his makeup.
Depend upon it, you will have more
| in fiuence over him before than after
marriage.
Here Is another thing:
| Have you taken into account how
much of strength, of patience and OF
sacrifice will be required of you?
Will your love for the man overcome
the repugnance and growing contempt
for his ways?
How long will he continue to love
you once he feels he is bound to one
who hates his habits and watches for
his lapses? What then becomes OF
your influence?
Do not try the impossible.
1t Is better to go through life alone
| than to be bound to brute or a weak
| ling a debauchee.
| Why spoil your life and bring misery
to those who love you by trying to
perform miracle?
| Today
Today Is your savior.
| Being your savior, you proceed to cru
| city it between two thieves.
| These thieves go by the names of Yes
terday and Tomorrow.
Yesterday is thief of the world.
1t will rob you If by half chance yor
let it, of your peace of mind by its might
| have-beens. Why should you worry to-
day when 1t Is too late to mend matters
Ought not you to be glad that what has
happened is In the past and over with
Let yesterday go hang.
Yesterday?
That day you spilled some milk ant
now you want to cry over 1t. Let 1t we
the ground where 1t has fallen and &c
after more milk. There's plenty Of milk
Yesterday?
| You made a mistake, but what of 1t
| Did you not get experience? Certainly
you will not stub your toe on the same
knob and spill more milk, will you? Well
| then.
| And the other thief-Tomorrow.
| Look out for 1t lest 1t rob you not by
regrets, but because Of fear. "Tomor
row." you say with apprehension, ito
morrow something may happen" Let i
happen. If 1t happens you cannot hell
it But If you are strong and vibrant anc
fearless today you can better meet thu
| trouble.
Tomorrow is robber and a cheat.
| You say to yourself II will be happ!
tomorrow. I will be kind and sympa
thetic and brave and helpful-tomorrow
| Tomorrow l will
But why not today?
| Do it now This is the time-and tn,
only time-to be kind and brave and help
full. Tomorrow you may not be here. To
morrow It may be too late, or your moot
| may change or your ambition weaken o
| what YOU foolishly fear in advance ma.
happen.
Do it today!
Today is the only bright strip between
the two vast darknesses we call Yester
day and Tomorrow Permit not the shad
ows of either to fall upon you.
Today!
It is vours-all yours and all you have
Today is like the mamma the children o
Israel gathered In the wilderness. 1t Will
spoil II you try to gather for tomorrow.
| Why nail Today to the cross between
Tomorrow and Yesterday?
The Dead Hand
foolish old man died the other da.
leaving a quarter of million dollars II
his adopted son, a child of eight years
That he was foolish no less than NEAR
is proved Dy tHe coiuitio'e ioiu w"
In the will The boy must
Graduate from Harvard at 49,
study six months at Oxford.
Graduate from West Point.
Spend his vacations In Europe.
Shall not be a Roman Catholic
He must learn MAMMAL training. dane
ing and music. He must resign from
the army and practice law.
He must not associate with his step
mother. from whom the old man got {
divorce. or her daughter.
] And, besides
The executors must be careful t