Advice to a Young Man.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2021, 20 June 1885, Page 6 (Supplement)

Advice to a Young Man.

I turn over the leaves of an old note book, the pages of Trhich I filled half a score of years ago. On one page I find thu note : My books are ail wrinkled and filled With crumbi of maple and inmtc leaves, with hen and tiiere a forgotten forest leaf clinging to the printed one. Ah, well, lomo time I mar Idas the wrinkled pages of my choicest book while I think of tho dear, white hands that laid the maple loaves in history or lexicon, and thank God that tho wago is wrinkled and tho engraving discolored. And now, whenever I torn to that page in the no to book, do yon know, my boy, how glad I am that I wrote about the leaves as I did ? Than was no shadow of fear or dread over my little h*m« then. Thoro was no reason why I should f«d so tenderly toward tho leaves and stems that stained and wrinklod my books, and ever kept me from using them for a week at a time, was there ? Ah, indeed, there was. Indeed, there was. Because love is bottor than books, my boy. Because your books, my son, though you crowd the literary treasures of the world upon your shelves, can nover creep into your heart as your wife will, Homo day, when you find the girl whom the Gods have decreed shall crown your home. Because wt should always hold the hearts that love us nearer to us than the potty annoyances and httla ill* of this life. Because tho quick, haaty word you speak in ill temper or ungentleness to-day, my boy, leaves a sting in yonr heart to rankle naif a century away Because to-day, if I could, 1 would burn up every jbook there is in all this world just to feel the Uttlo hands that laid those leaves in tho pages where I said they must not, go, rlaip themselves about my neck for one hour. Hold your tongue and your pen, my boy, Krery timo you aro tempted to say an ungentle word, or write an unkind lino, or say a mean, ungracious thing about anybody, just stop ; look ahead twouty-fivo years' and think how it may corao back to you then. Lot mo tell you how I write mean letters and bitter editorials, my boy. Some time, whtn a man has pitched into me and " cut me up rough " and 1 want to pulverize him, and wear his gory scalp at my girdle and hang his hide on my fenoe, I writo the letter or editorial that is to do the business. I write something that will drive sleep from bis eyes and peace from his soul for six weeks. Oh, I do hold him ovor a slow fir* and roast him. Gall and aquafortis drip from my blistering pen. Then, I don't mail the letter and I don't print tho editorial. There's always plttoty of timo to crucify a man. The vilest criminal is entitled to a little reprieve. 1 put the manuscript away in a drawer. Next day I look at it. The ink is cold, I read it over and say : " I don't know about this. There's a good deal of bludgeon and bowio knife journalism in that. I'll hold it ovor a day longer." Tho next day I read it again. I laugh, and say "Pihaw," and I can feel my cheeks getting a little hot. The fact is I am ashamed that I ever wrote it, and hope that nobody has seen it, and I havo half forgotten tho article or letter that tilled my soul with rage, I haven't been hurt, I haven't hurt anybody, and the world goes right along, making twonty-four hours a day as usual, nnd I am all tho happier. Try it, my boy. Tut oil' your bitter ren.arks until to-morrow. Then when you try to say them deliberately, you'll find that you have forgotten them, and ton years later, ah, bow how glad you will be that you did. Be goodnatured, my boy Bo loving and gentle with the world, and you'll bo ama/.ed to see how dearly and tenderly the worried, tried, vexed, harassed old world loves you. — Koht. J. Burdkttk. in the Biookhjn Kagh, Mr. ltuskin discovered on a church lii Vmuoo, near the llialto, the appropriate motto : " Aroond this temple lot tho merchants law bo joit, hu weights true and hit covenants faithful."