Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1921-10-27

refresh and gladden. the parents
heart, Just then, to nave our hopes
blasted by vice, and withered by the
mildew of corruption seems more
than humanity can bear. But of
such is our sad lot, after having done
all we could, we must let the mis-
guided wanderer go in the hope that
when far from a fathers house,
pinched by want and reduced to suf-
fering, like the prOdigal son he may
once more come to himself and re-
turning cry, Father have sinned."
Yes, dear sir, if you have grief with
your son, give him up to God and
his fate, and never cease to give him
affectionate cOunsels and to send
your prayers t. heaven in his behalf.
But you ask plainly for inlfor-
nation in regard to Matthew, and
nothing but this will, know, relieve
and satisfy you, and accordingly l
hasten to give you, as far as l am
able a fair account Of his case. Ills
whole case may be summed up IN
four items. First, evil companions;
second, pride; third, extravaganza;
fourth, foolish, childish, romantic
love. lnGS6 IOuE CAUSES navy NOAA~
spired with fearful power and rapid
ity to bring him into his present con-
dition. And first, evil company.
This, says the Bible corrupts good
manners, and never was anything ut
tered more true. Young people are
initiative, and they generally initiate
those with whom they associate,
whether good OF bad. Unhappily,
the boarding house chosen for Matth-
ow was an unfortunate selection.
Some of the students boarding there
were not of the best kind, and were
guilty of gross irregularities. It's 10
cation was bad, being right on a cor
ner near the college where the great
body of students passed and re-pass-
ed and went in at all hours of the day
and night. He was thus thrown into
all sorts of company and soon be-
came contaminated by the collision.
All this might have been avoided by
different selection at first. The
temptation was, however, too strong
to resist and he fell a victim to their
conversation, habits and pursuits.
This was the foundation of all that
followed. Second, Pride, the COM
pany he kept were always joking him
about his plain dress and awkward
ness and stimulated him to dress
fashionably, telling him that he would
be thought nothing of if he did not
dress up, etc. This stimulated his
pride, and he commenced a course
of foppery. In this situation he
went to a foolish pickpocket phreno-
logist to have his head examined, who
his pride to its utmost de-
gree. He told him that he had
splendid capacity, wonderful head,
and would make a great man, etc.
This was more than he could bear
and vanity of dress and thought took
complete possession of him, destroyed
his habits of industry and application
and left him nothing but ideal dreams
of greatness and the foOleries of
dandyism. His studies were neg'
lected, his attendance upon college
became irregular and he had fire.
quently to appear before the faculty
to give an account Of himself. Fin
ally he violated every law and sun
dered the last ligan1Ant that bound
him to college and was dismissed. Of
this fact, DR.. Bascom desires to say
that he -.
Do not fail to write to DR.. Bascom
and get him to obtain from Professor
his account.
Do not think that Matthew was
suffered to go on in his course with
out an effort to save him. have
made repeated efforts without sue
cess.
There is one more course that may |
be pursued in reference to Matthew |
that probably l had better name to |
you. It is this, as he was simply |
dismissed from college he may be adj
nitted again provided he confesses
lis wrongs and changes his life. If
lie had been expelled he could not en-
,er college again. Maybe it would
1e the best plan to get him back to
college again. You are the best