The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-10-29
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nIcan only impress upon the young
men who read this Journal the i'm.
nortance of choosing one thing for theiI
iife-business, and sticking to it, | shall
not have written this article in vain
What is success but the reward OF
persevering industry? Oh, I don't have
any reference to that industry of some
people, who 60 changing about from one
thing to another during their whole lives.
They may be the busiest people IN inc
world, but they accomplish nothing :
mean the well-directed effort that lays
siege to some particular trade or proies-
sion, and conquers and takes iuii cum
mand of it, just as armies besiese anu
conquer strong CITY. . 1.,;,k
Oh. the desire to be brilliant! tnink
II DESTROYS more fine characters tnan
r,,n, II Is disease that often works
fatol,v among our talented young Ameri-
cans. whitening inherent genius by pull
inc n from the particular soil where it
naturally grows and transplantlng it
wherever foolish fancy dictates.
What pity it is that there exists, even
in our land, spirit which looks dis
paragingly upon Woodworking, slow
nlodding mediocrity. There is a thou
sand times more hope for an honest shoe
maker, who does his work we'll and sticks
to his business, than for your brilliant
fellow who gallops over land and sea,
now scribbling nice little poem for
newspaper, again reading little Of
law, next rummaglng medical books, and
what next he will do the Lord only
knows. Continuity, like every other
quality of mind, is capable of develop
ment; but like others, alas! il is some
times inherent and often exhibits itself
in a remarkable degree quite early in
life. Show me a boy who makes his kite
fly in spite of its ragged tail and bois-
ferrous wind, who works day after day
and plight after night at his problem and
gets it, who whites till his fingers are
sore and his knife dull, but finally sue
cceds in making top to suit him, and l
do not care if he is as slow as molasses
in winter" I'll wager my money on him
a hundred times in preference to the
bright, smart little pet of the school who
gets his lessons in five minutes and let's
his kite go to the dogs because the tail
breaks.
Continuity is worth more than genius
first fully developed makes VIM. Words
worth, but bright intellect without a
genius for work makes the village wit
who glorifies the American eagle on the
Fourth of July and rolls in the corner of
a beer saloon on Christmas day United
they always perform wonders, but the
ability to persevere in one course often
performs wonders anyhow, while genius,
without continuity, is always dancing
about like willo'the-wisp deceiving
people and constantly shining very dim
ly through mist.
oh, how many fine young men we
have seen Of acknowledged talent and
finished education, who have had to
yield the palm to some plodding fellow
who was reckoned blockhcad in his
school-boy days!
John M, while at college, was re-
gardcd as a young man Of great promise
The professors lavished much praise
upon him, and if there were any offices
to be filled in students associations, the
honor was generally conferred rpon him
On commencement day he delivered one
of the most pleasing orations given, and
the audience whispered, one to another
How eloquent The first year after
he received his diploma he taught
school; the next he studied medicine; the
next he had something to do with "A
country paper; for time he kept books
and for several years more he was en-
gagged in several other things, and the
last time saw him he was abouSthirty-
five sears of age and only a lawyers
clerk.
William P, his early school-mate,
was not nearly 50 apt scholar; yet, BY
dint of hard study he managed to worry
out all the difficult points in his lessons.
Besides, he had so many peculiarics in
his ways that the schoolboys were
tempted to poke fun at him,
and play sly tricks at his expense when
ever they could. Being sensitive,
this, of course, hurt his feelings, but
no doubt contributed somewhat to his
success, as it goaded him to greater dill
gence, SO that he could have revenge
upon his tormentors by beating them in
recitation. But he never got higher than
the public school. He had to support
his widowed mother, and her poverty
would not allow him the luxury of coll
lcgiatc education. SO he began active
life by teaching a country school, and,
liking the business, chose teaching for
his profession. Year by year he added
to his store of knowledge, until he be-
came recognized as a thorough English
scholar, as well as the most successful
teacher in the country. At thirty-five,
while John M was still lawyers
clerk, he was State Superintendent of
the public schools in one of the foremost
States of the Union
The cause of difference in the career
of these two men is easily seen One
was inconstant in his work. The other
entered his profession early, and worked
rs if he had made solemn oath to be
faithful to it until death When a man
chooses his profession or his trade as he
chooses his wife, because he loves it
above all other things, and proves him
self faithful to his first love by an I'M
wcaried diligence, it requires no prophet
to forctcll his success. L. NcCyellqna
an Phreaological Journal.
A Valuable Aid to Memory.
THERE is a scrap of old advice about
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