Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-10-26
MAKE A-CHARACrER FOR YOURSELF

Ii is related of Glrard, that when young
tradeslnan, having bought and paid for bag OF
coffee, proceeded 10 wheel il home himself, the
s'lrewd old merchant Immediately offered TO trust
his new customer TO as many more bags rs The
latter might desire. The trait of character re-
vealed by the young man in being his own por-
ter, had given the millionaire confidence in him
at once. His reputation was made with Glrard
He became favored dealer with the enterpri
sing merchant, throve rapidly, and in the end
amassed fortune.
No mere-capital will do so much for young
men as character. Nor will always even capital
and connexion combined In our own expert
ence, we have known many beginners who have
utterly failed; though backed by ample means,
and assisted by the influence of large circle OF
friends In some cases, indeed, considerable
experience, MS we'll as industry and perseverance,
have been added TO these advantages, yet with
out securing success. We have known surh
persons, after failure in their first pursuit, to
try second, and even third yet with no bet
ter result, although still assisted by capital by
friends and even by their own activity. The
secret was that they had missed, somehow,
making a character for themselves.
On the other hand, it is a common occurrence
to see young men begin without cent, yet rap
idly rise to fortune. They achieve this triumph
by establishing reputation fnr being competent
business men, Few are so fortunate as to 90
this by singular characteristic act, like the pur-
chaser who won Girard'u good will by wheeling
home the bag; for generally neither veteran
merchants are IS shrewd as the famous Million
are, nor young dealers as energetic as his Gus
toner. But consistent life Of sagaciiy, econ
omy and industry, invariably establishes the
r
right kind Of reputation in the end. Confidence
grows up, in influential quarters, towards the
young beginner. Old merchants shake their
heads approvingly, and say, "he is of the right
stuff and and will get along" Credit comes, as
it were unsought Connexion follows. The
reputation Of the new aspirant widens and deep
ems his transactions begin 10 be quoted as au-
thorly; trade flows in on him from every
quarter and in few years, he reires with
competence, or remains to. become n millionaire.
All this is the result of establishing at the out
set. n character of the right sort "a
We may say TO every young man, about to
start in life, make character for yourself as
soon as possible. Let it also be distinctive
one 1t is better to have a name for exceng
all others in some one thing than TO enjoy SIM
ply notoriety for merely general merit. Are
YOU mechanic ?-outstrip your fellows in skill.
Are you young lawyer !-Decome superior I'D
particular branch. Are you clerk ?-be the
best book-keeper your employers have. Are
you in a store ?-make yourself acquainted with
the various buyers. In Short become known
for an excellence peculiar to yourself; acquire
speciality, as it is called; and success is certain,
because you will have, us it were, monopoly,
and can dictate your own terms.
Money may be lost, without fault OF our own,
BY some one or another of the accidents of life.
Connexions may be broken up. by death, or
failure, or change Of interests. But character
remains through all. 1t belongs to the indiyid-
ual, and is above the chances of fate Thous-
ands, who have lost all else, have recovered
themselves, by having character to start anew
with but no man, without business character,
has ever risen from the ruin caused by the loss
of capital, or the destruction of connexion.
| PHILADELPHIA Ledger