Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-06-26

S"N'o ouo " LIN Soou iHdH AcdiL.
But all through society are sects which
cripple and cotfinsand mnnify the hu-
man mind. He who woald he true
man must be free from all these, and
like the eagle soar. The typical man
will not only be free brt perseoeri,ag.
His arm must be strong to throw aside
the barriers which hinder him. Mira
beau said mention not that distasteful
word Impossible; nothing is impossible
to him who tries. = Goethe said every
man $ arms are long enough to reach
the skies if he viii but stretch them
up In our own country we have
striking example Of what perseverance,
will accomplish. Not many years ago
a New England boy conceived the idea
of laying telegraphic wire across the
ocean, and bringing the nations SO near
together in time that they might shake
hands. He wrote, argued, interceded.
lie first manufactured Faith and then
Credit. He toiled on, and at last the
measure took shape. The vessel was
loaded with that singular cargo. For
days all went well-seyen, eight, nine.
ten. eleven, twelve, and the shores of
Newfoundland are in sight. One af
ternoon, Mr.. Field walked into the
cabin, and In calm voice said /: Cen
tlemen, the cable has parted We
must return to England and try it
again" lie did return and did try it
again, and you all know with what sue
cess. Every evenings paper brings
US news from all portions Of the habit
able globe. No one has yet compre-
hended the wonderful perseverance of
this man CYRUS w. FIELD.
Another element in preparation for
the work cf hfe-:he specific work of
life. No man succeeds because of
luck We may talk about Fortune
and sing about Accident, but there is
no such thing in tie universe of COD.
You are strong if you make to your
self strength One Of the greatest of
our faults is that we spread ourselves
too thin. We make little butter COW
er too much bread. We learn, or pre-
tend to learn, too. many trades. An
English sailor ties but one knot while
an American can tie dozen but the
Englishman S never slips. An English
man learns but one trade !; every Am
erican thinks he knows dozen. He
had stood in Sheffield by an anvil, over
which man had hammered for
80 years. His business was to
make razor blades, and he made them
we'll.
To-day our cotton goes to Europe,
is manufactured and brought back
again to be worn by those who produced
it. Our tobacco out beautiful tobacco
is carried to England to be manufac-
ured, and then is brought back to be
chared here. Our iron ore, the heav-
lest and bulkiest Of materials, is ship
ped abroad to be smelted and manufac-
ured for us. Why is this? Because
we spread our butter too thin: because
our young men half learn too many
trades because our students do not
stay long in college; !; because our Post
Graduate courses are empty; because
We neglect the foundation Of all active
lite-heaIth. We have 10 manly sports
An English student will leap six-bar
fence an American student will crawl
under. An English students will swim
a mile, but an American student viii
20 on steamboat.
Everybody-but ministers-have ad-
mired CHARLOTTE CUsHMAN in Meg
Merrillies. But how many years did
she toll to acquire that perfect rendition
OF a single character. We have all
enjoyed the luxury Of seeing JOE JET
FERsoN i'll Rip Van Winkle, but tha.
perfect characterization was the result
of years Of study. He knew SoTH-
ERNE before he was an actor, and knew
him as one Of the most diligent of
students. The typical man must be
prepared man. Success waits upon
this preparation.
The typical man must be q prompt
man. In crisis III the affairs Of the
East India Company, soldier was
asked to take charge of the English
forces there. He was asked chow soon
will you be ready to leave Z" "In half
an hour, . replied Sir CHARLES NAPIER.
The ship is on the lee shore, and
steadily setting in toward the breakers.
The crew seem paralyzed. Down to
the engine room goes tie Captain and
places his foot on the valve. The ma
machinery answers with increased mo-
ton. Tie ship wears off; a thousand
lives are saved. Promptaess saved
them. !.
The typicai man is not in a hurrv.
H. can afford to wait His investments
are good and his returns certain. We
are in too much haste to secure results.
The great men Of former ages toiled
long and hard, and waited patiently.
ARISTOTLE worked, and gathered, and
waited, and he is teaching us to-day. I
DEMoSTHENEs and CICERO are teach |
ing the ages eloquence because they .
first taught themselves. HELPER
grand old man who projected his !
thought to the distant stars, unfolded .
the grand hosaaos till then hidden
when urged to desist from his labor be-
cause he would not be understood, re-
,,f;oJ s,Tf I'll III ana