The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-02-23
fHE WORK THAT WINS
By J. R. STEWART

A HttIe more than two years ago,
aras talking with an old gentleHa
about the advantage Of acquiring
studious habit in youth. This gtntlt
man was a teacher once, still takes
interest in children, can tell them IN
ytructive stories without end, an
knows all about the perplexities {
schoOl-day studies. But having bee
q hard student all his life, be know
the pleasures and profits Of study a
well.
Eq am not Of tse opinion" said he
asthat the ability To stick 70 task I'll
II q thoroughly coz Iuered and under
stood fs as valuable as the knowledg
ftseIf One never aceomplishes mucl
n he hiea about this way and that
turns fr, one road and down another
and tyyfsts into hundred shapes, il
- bone al finding out an easy way 10 d
what can only be done by lOng-con
finued work.
sSThere are two mottOes which
uaad 70 keep on the wall before MI
sehool: God helps those lgho help
hemselVes,' and a rolling stone gath
err no H1Oss.'"
HaIf the boys and girls would thinI
Of these, they would sooner see The
result Of their labor, and learn that
the secret Of success lies In hard Labor
and keeping the eyes open. ] tel
you," said be, dealing blow upon the
table for emphasis, ut took the world
q long time 70 grow wise enough 70
make those two sayings. IhOpe they
may never be forgotten" ayes, in
deed, again striking the table,
"God does help those who help them
selves, and warrant you He never
makes q mistake. Does anybody
think He cares 10 help lazy, sleepy
idler? guess nOtn
Then Strengthening up in his chair
he said: "But was about to tell you
q story.
ffWhen left college, was pool
enough. / assure you, but had much
more energy then than have now
/ came West and stopped st st. Louis,
where I opened a school. Among my
pupils was one, Garvin Christy, an
unusually cheerful and happy boy, oi
frank speech and free, open face.
But no one Is without his faults, it Is
said, and I believe Garvinis only fault
IN school was that he never studied
more than about fifteen minutes on
one lesson, till ne grewrestless, chang
ed off to something else, and, in the
course OF the day, tried each lesson so
often that he could not content him.
self with any Of them. The result
was, that be never made a complete
failare-he never had a first-rate les
son. He did not know that he was
just escaping the reputation Of being
q poor student and no more.
'fI feared this habit of trihing with
duty YVES fastening itself upon him,
and could not be shaken of If allowed
to run longer-fOr habits once formed
are as hard to break as iron bands
We must cut them with file, and Of
ten suffer pain before we rid ourselves
Of them.
"As look back upon it now, / am
sure IL was purely a sense Of my duty
that led me to walk homewafd with
him one evening after school was dis
missed, and, on the way, to tell him
as kindly as could that he was max
ing g great mistake, and acquiring a
r1inous habit by his fitful way Of
study.
#I reminded him of the truth ex-
pressed in the notices on the wall; IL
lustrAting as well as could, how men
make their own fortunes-good or
bEd; and explained to him, that, just
as the stone which keeps one place for
long time, at last collects beauti.
full covering Of moss, so the student
who pushes his studies with the great
est energy, is the first to show the or
nament Of scholarship. But, poor fell
low, he was utterly confused and sur
prised that should think him only a
medium student-for, as I have said,
IL had not occurred to him that he was
falling at all short of success in every
lesson.
"When study began the next morn
ing, Garyin seemed determined to
profit by the conversation Of the last
evening. he started out vigorously
with his study, but in the course of an
hour bis interest tagged, and I saw
that the remainder Of the day was to
be spent pretty much In the old way.
And so It was.
fThe next day was no better. He
changed books every few minutes,
and nothing was accomplished. In
deed, almost wished him out of
school, that might be spared the task
Of breaking up his habit of trifing.-
At last said, pleasantly: Study,
Garviu, studyy and he took up his
book again, but soon it was laid aside
for another.
tsAgain repeated: Study, Garvin,
study, and remember that the hand of
the dnigent maketh rich.' A second
time he resumed his book and appear
ed to study, though Isuppose his mind
could hardly be said to be on the les
son, for he soon closed the one to take
up another. knew the lesson could
not be learned yet, and that it was
only his foolish habit that prompted
him to change. So repeated little
more sternly than before, Study,
GRrvin, study
ssHe had never been openly reprov-
ed before, and the idea of being hu-
INFLATED In the presence of the school
was too much for him, and he burst
into tears. IsEppOsed il would cause
pain to overcome so mischievous a
habit, and In a short time, 1 repeate d,
as mildly as possible, Please study,
Garvin.' But this time he broke down
entirely, covered his face with his
handsand cried aloud.
eSlOWly, however, he frightened up,
wiped the tears from his eyes, began
his lesson, and, to do him Justice,
must say that he seldom trified with
study afterward. No pupil in school
could excel him. He mastered the
hardest task with perfect ease.
AT the end of my fourth year in
the school, went to preach in small
town in Indiana, and as new friends
too often push old ones out mind, so
In making anew list Of facquaintances,
forgot Garvin. That was thirty years
ago, and, inthe numerous occurrences
OF so long a time, Isuppose if thought
anything about him, it was only to
the effect that / should never hear Of |
him again. Only few weeks ago,
however. Ireceived a letter from him,
which think / have in my pocket.h
Here Mr. keesueven drew out a
handful of letters and selected one
which be gave me leave to copy. Here
il is:
Rev. PHILo KEEsTEvEN.
Dear Sir Last night / saw your
name and address in the proceedings
of Ministerial Association which /
met a few days ago in Indiana.
once had 3 kind teacher of your
hdAAAc III 81. LOulst anu llaluk YOU /
mustbe the same person. If you ever |
taught in that city, l hope you viii 4
do me the favor to write me, and per-
haps you will recognize the name Of 4
an old pupil when say that am
GARvIN CHRIsTY.
''Sure enoughi 1 did recognize the
name ofan old pupil Iwrote to him
at once, stating that remembered the
black-eyed boy with the curly hair,
who had such hard work to learn to
study. sYou are the boy, said /, and
/ am your old teacher I don't know
how much more said to him, but I
gave him some account of my life (
since had seen him, and asked him
TO write to me often. In /,
short time ] received a second letter.
You can make copy Of it also if you
choose
Now I shall not write all that was
said between Mr.. KeesteYen and me, =
but viii give you the letter-or rather, |
only part Of it-stating first that I
leave out 8 part Of it, as you W Il see:
REH PHILo KEEsTEvEN:
Nc Dear old Teacher and Friend
Your latla letter gave me real Satis