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This is a continuation of last month's piece, still with rich vocabulary and with its holy tone. Be sure to practice those words with which you are unfamiliar checking your shorthand dictionary if needed.
Shorthand Instructor, Pitman’s Shorthand, Isaac Pitman, 1905, p. 251-253
Industry and Happiness (continued)
Industry gives character and credit to the young. The reputable portions of society have maxims of prudence by which the young are judged and admitted to their good opinion. Does he regard his word? Is he industrious? Is he economical? Is he free from immoral habits? The answer which a young man’s conduct gives to these questions, settles his reception among good men. Experience has shown that the other good qualities of veracity, frugality, and modesty are apt to be associated with industry. A prudent man would scarcely be persuaded that a listless, lounging fellow would be economical or trustworthy. An employer would judge wisely that where there was little regard for time or for occupation, there would be as little, upon temptation, for honesty or veracity. Pilferings of the till and robberies are fit deeds for idle clerks and lazy apprentices. Industry and knavery are sometimes found associated, but men wonder at it as a strange thing. The epithets of society which betoken its experience are all in favor of Industry. Thus, the terms “a hard-working man,” “an industrious man,” “a laborious artisan,” are employed to mean an honest man, a trustworthy man.
I may here, as well as anywhere, impart the secret of what is called good and bad luck. There are men who bemoan in the poverty of a wretched old age that luck forever ran against them. One, with a good profession, lost his luck in the river where he idled away his time fishing when he should have been in the office. Another, with a good trade, perpetually burnt up his luck by his hot temper which provoked all his employees to leave him. Another, with a lucrative business, lost his luck by amazing diligence at everything but his business. Another, who steadily followed his trade, as steadily followed his bottle. . . .
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