Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-04-11
THURSDAY, APRIL II, 1872.
AClear Grit.''

The lecture was dlnuSlHS, tuleI tdiiiIhS
and instructive, enlivened with illus
trative and racy anecdotes, enchanting
the attention of the large audience as
sembled, till its close. The following is
an abstract.
Clear Grit, as he understood it, wasthe
best quality that was contained in man,
the very best thing that we could do-as
the rose blossoms on the bush or the bird
sings In the spring. That determination
that can never give away or yield except
for a good reason. The power to go
barefoot, if needs be, to obtain a desired
end, rather than go by pleasant paths
without attaining them. The power to
say No. Simply to say, once for all,
that It is better to endure any torment to
be a true man than to enjoy any and all
pleasures, and be the reverse.
Men like Aaron Burr and the late Jim
Fisk prove that there is something more
required for ''clear grit" than simply de-
termined will to obtain a desired end.
Their course demonstrates the truth of
the saying that there is nothing so near
a true angel as a true devil. When he
worked at the anvil, in England, man
would prepare the iron rod, get it red
rod, and then, instead of making it into
nail, plunge it into water and turn in
to scale. This was the difference be-
tween clear grit and the counterfeit
the one would make the nail, the other
+rrD II iat0 q WORTHLESS ciu6pr
Tweed's course made you think of
whot the man said about the oyster
plant it tasted like one, but it wasn't an
oyster So with him, it seemed as if he
had clear grit, but we knew all the time
that it was all seeming and he was quak-
ing with fear.
Clear grit is never base or mean either
In its nature or tendency. The root Of
it is in a certain power of self-denial-
the power to say No, where, by denying
your manhood, you may promote your
comfort This was Illustrated by Fred
Douglass on steamer, when the rules
of the boat denied certain acCOmmOda-
tons to black men. The captain, seeing
him trying to obtain rest in an uncOm-
Portable place, and desiring to observe
the rules and yet assist him, went to him
and with kindness and sympathy beam
ing from his face, said to him, ''GOu are
an Indian, are you nOt?" Freds simple
reply was, "Njgger."
One of the most dangerous evils of the
country and times is the determination
to get everything we want for our COM
fort or in order to have a good time, and
that dirt cheap. All of the men of Chi
cago and so it is elsewhere, who stand
In the front rank and exert an influence,
were poor mems sons who didn't have a
good time when they were boys. They
were compelled to work, and struggled
for the education they obtained, and
started in life with the traditional bundle
under the arm and fifty cents in the
pocket
Clear grit must make us sure of our
selves in the power to say No in the in
diligence of our passions aud appetitcs.
1t begins here, but does not end here.
There are many that can do this. The
more than ourselves Farady conferred
more benefit on mankind with money
than did Peabody, to whose memory
such honors were shown. When his in
come reached a certain point, instead OF
increasing it, that he might become rich
enjoy ease and luxury, or make All os
tentatious display, hc devoted it to pop
uarizing science, especially chemistry
and rendering it attainable to all.
After the power to serve vGurs4te, i
the power to give yourself for the ben
eft of others. The power to help other
when 1t touches you as duty. This wa
we'll illustrated by the mlaer who, whel
young, being in want of water, after
wards devoted all his energies to the &C
quirement of wealth, denying himself
even the comforts and necessaries o
life, and lived and died despised as
rniser. After his death it was founC
that all this sclf-denial was to enable
him to furnish his native city with ;
system Of water works, by which al
could freely obtain water.
The last In the foundation after thu
power to take care of yourself and Civ,
yourself, is 70 never stop to count tn
cost, but pitch in and do it,"
There were three things that shoulC
be done in order to apply "clear grit" tt
the common affairs of life. First, tlg
power to 90 a good honest days work
Second, to get home, Th5rd.' TO- g
about it ct once.
lie put the power to do good ehoneS
days work, first, because IN his experienc
this laid at the foundation, and becauS
~ in it we see both the positive and mega
tive qualities Of clear grit. Young men
at the present day. Seem bewildered, l.,
so many opportunities ct getting rich
so they try this and'th"n that, and. fai'
ing neccssarilyin all, eud by waiting f.
something to turn up. Micawber failc
until he went to work in earnest TIL
result is that they either come to rely o
friends, land in the poor house, or sin
still lower and 60 to Washington to hun
for an office they haven't the ability t
fill and draw money they can't earn.
Second-toget a good home This il
clud4s good wife or husband Man
are married and find out too late that
is only a marriage in name Women ar
educated with all the accomplishments
except that most ueeded-of being
good wife and hoOSckecper. Ithas bee
said that man was the volume and y,
man the supplement. They are re tin
two equal volumes The man is like
book 10 be continued and is not omple
without the continuation-the'w woman.
\ good home also implies children
s'from five TO fifteen. and t'aa naorar