Stories of Unwise Men

Stories of Unwise Men BY DR. FRANK S. HARRIS, DIRECTOR, UTAH AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Once ppon a time there was a man journeying to a far country transporting the valuable accumulations of a lifetime in a wagon drawn by two beautiful horses. The wagon was the best that cot.ld be purchased the horses were well shod and in every ; way prepared for the journey. The outfit needed to be well equipped, for the load consisted of gold and silver and many precious things. At the outset, everything seemed favorable for a successful journey and the traveler started off in high spirits. One evening when he camped for the night, he found no wood at hand. Not wishing to be troubled to bring it from the he looked at his wagon and decided to use a spoke out of hills, each of the wheels. This he did rather hesitatingly and the fire was soon kindled. Passers-by chided him for this act, at which he assured them that the lack of this one spoke from each wheel would not injure the wagon and that he would never again cut wood from it. The journey continued, other places were found where wood was scarce other spokes were used. Pieces of wood were at ; times cut from the wagon box, from the reach, and from the axle each one probably doing but little injury to the wagon. ; A piece of iron was needed and none being at hand a shoe was taken from one of the horses 'soon another was removed, and ; when leather was needed a harness was robbed. The wagon finally began to give way and part of the treasures had to be left by the wayside. This continued, until as the traveler came to the end of his journey, practically all of his valuables had been left behind his wagon was completely dilap- ; idated his horses were foot-sore and emaciated and he himself ; ; was worn out, having been compelled to walk. Those who saw him and knew his story said "That man is : a fool." . There was another man who started out on the journey of life. He was ambitious to succeed and everything seemed to be in his favor. As he walked along he saw lying by the road a heavy weight to; which were fastened a lock and chain. He locked the chain around his waist and carried the weieht along, Soon he met a friend who told him he was foolish for hindering his progress with so heavv a load and showed him that the lock was gradually rusting and that he soon would be unable to rid himself of the load but the traveler said he would carry it only ; a little way.

1010 IMPROVEMENT ERA As he continued the journey, he found other weights. One of these he locked around his neck others were fastened to his ; feet and still others to his hands. Always he expected to discard the weights, but the time of doing it was delayed from day to day. Finally when he made up his mind to cast off the burdens, he found that the keys had rusted in the locks and the chains could not be unfastened. In despair he continued the journey of life weighted down so heavily that his progress was almost negligible. In time he sank completely under the load his journey- ; ings were no more. The kind friends who cared for his mortal remains found one of the weights to be alcohol, another tobacco, another immorality, and another hypocrisy. With heavy hearts they laid him away and said : "Surely this man has acted foolishly." Just as these two men gradually began doing things that ultimately lead to their destruction, so every one is in peril, unless he is constantly on his guard, and unless he does everything possible to protect himself from the inroads of evil. At heart most young people are right. They have a desire to do good rather than evil, and they wish to live upright and noble lives. If they fail, it is usually because they have thoughtlessly begun some practice that has been injurious, or they have been led astray by some temptation that has pulled them down. The incomprehensible thing is that people who profess a high degree of civilization will countenance things that are known to be destroyers of human happiness and underminers of character. A parent allowing a rattlesnake to remain unmolested among his playing children would be considered insane yet society allows ; evils equally venomous to persist "where they destroy its youth. The cry of "personal liberty" has been raised to defeat reforms but people are rapidly coming to see that a person should ; not have the liberty to destroy his own life and happiness, especially since the welfare of society is closely tied up with the actions of individuals. The condition is something like this : Each youth is begin- — ning a journey either the journey of life or the accomplishment of some special task. The youth has high ideals and a great desire to be successful. — There are certain pitfalls alcohol, — cigarettes, etc. into which he may fall and be destroyed before he is aware of their real danger. Notwithstanding the purity of his desires, it is known that he is in great danger of falling into these pits. The youth's parents can cover up the pits and thus give him a better opportunity to succeed. The question is "What is the duty of these parents?" And : yet, is it a question at all? Does not the way seem perfectly clear ? LOGAN, UTAH