Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-09-01
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MAKEA cHARAcTER FOR YoURsELF.
1t is related Of Gisard, that when O
young tradesman, having bought and
paid for bag Of coffee, proceeded TO
wheel il home himself, the shrewd old
merchant Immediately offered TO trust
his new customer to as many more
bags as the latter might desire. The
trait of character revealed by the young
man in being his own porter, had given
the millionaire confidence in him at
once. His reputation was made with
Girard. He became a favored dealer
with the enterprising merchant. throye
rapidly, and in the end amassed for
tune.
No mere capital win do SO much
for young men as character. Norwil
always capital and connexion COM
bined. In our own experience, we
have known many beginners who have
utterly failed. though backed by ample
means, and assisted by the influence
Of a large circle of friends. In some
cases. indeed, considerable experience
as well as industry and perseverance,
have been added to these advantages,
yet without securing success. We
have known such persons, after fail-
ure in their first pursuit, TO tryia
second. and even third. with no
better result, although still assisted
by capital, by friends, and even BY
their own activity. The secret was
that they had missed, somehow, ma
king a character for themselves. sscnsa
On the other hand, it is COM
mon occurrence TO see young men
begin without cent, yet rapidly rise
to fortune. They achieve this tfi.
umph by establishing. at the outset,
a reputation for being competent bus
mess men Few are so fortunate as 10
do this by a single characteristic act,
like the purchaser who won Girard's
good will by wheeling home the bag:
for generally neitherveteranm merchants
are as shrewd as the famous millionaire,
nor young dealers as energetic as his
young customer. But consistent
life Of sagacty, economy and industry.
invariably establishes the right kind
of reputation in the end Conf
dence grows up, in influential quarters,
towards the young beginaer.C Old
merchants shake their heads approx
ingly, and say, "He is Of the right
stuff. and viii get along" Credit
comes. as il were, unsought. Connex-
ion follows. The reputation Of the
young aspirant widens and deepens;
his transactions begin to be quoted as
authority; trade flows in from every,
quarter; and, in .ew years, he retires
with a competence, or remains TO be-
come a millionaire. All this is the
result of establishing at the outset, .
character of the right sort. , Z.
We may say to every young man,
about to start in life. make character
for yourself as soon as possible. Let
il also be distinctive one. II Is bet
ter to have name for excelling all
others in some one thing than to enjoy
simply notoriety for merely general,
merit. Are you mechanic?- out
strip your fellows in skill. Are you
a young lawyer?-become superior in
a particular branch. Are YOU a clerk?
= be the best book-keeper your em-
ployers 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 Il is
called; and success is certain, because
you will have, as ii were, a monopoly.
and can dictate your own terms.
Money may be lost, without fault
Of our own by some one or another
Of the changes and accidents Of life.-
may be broken up. by
death, or failure. or change of inter-
ests. But character remains through
all. 1t belongs to the individual, and
is above the chances Of fate. Thou
sands, who have lost all else, have
themselves by having n
character TO start anew with; but no
man, without a business character,
has even risen fiom the ruin caused
by the loss Of capital. or The destruc-
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