Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 306, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1920 — GOOD SENSIBLE TALK. [ARTICLE]

GOOD SENSIBLE TALK.

The world is full of life—rfiril of action. And yet there are thousands who loiter on the great race of life. They, pass along and leave no record of deeds to live after them. No laudable ambition seems to stir their sluggish souls. No soaring aspiration seems to throb in their hearts. They bask in the sunshine, and shun the conflicts where mind grapples with mind, living a brief day, and living in unbroken light. Our young men do not appreciate the privileges of this day. They do not make good use of the advantages which surround them. There are many, it is true, of them who are nobly struggling to do so, but hosts of others seem to have no ambition, no impulse stirs them. The world in its progress brings Ma sources to their very doors, but they have hot sufficient energy of character to reach out and grasp them. We see much to regret in society. The young hearts where lie the hopes of our country, are too ingloriously idle, or frittering away their usefulness and influence. Let a person pass through the country and mingle with the gatherings of our young men, and they will look with sorrow on the frivolous character presented. Why so much ill-breed-ing? Why so much vulgarity and profanity? Why so rude and repulsive a- disregard of all the little courtesies of life? Why is their conversation so grossly coarse?

We miss the heartbum politeness' that should characterize the con-; duct of the true 'gentleman. We even see those claiming gentility and respectability, treating strangers—nay, women—with marked discourtesy and insult And where is the fault? There are some "good old ways” which ought not to be dejpatted from counsels which should hot be forgotten. We deprecate arrogant,/selfish, and rmdtfve^ nmmners, which so generally marie tee character of the young people. There, is no truer mark of a gentleman than courtesy in the treatment of others. Stale slang is no accomplishment—it is a stam, tteflL bred retort degenerates into deiiber*tTh?’young man who thinks he is not a "blood young man’’ till he can show how little he cares for the unpretending, but shining qualities of modesty home simplicity, swagger and sneer a* all these sacred influencea—even at his own mother, and talk boldly about the foolish old woman, .but we would shun him as we would a ruffian. T- —CONTRIBUTED. . •" p . ■ ■ ■'a- .•