Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-03-03
A Successful Man.

Henry Wilson fought all the enemies
that hold men back from success. He
began by being unlike other boys and
young men, and in that self denial lies
the very essence of Christian strength.
He conquered his own appetites and pas
sions; and then the power of fashion
was an easy conquest. He knew that
the strength needed for this great work
that lay before him could be gained
only by close and careful study. Social
life, pleasing Others by doing as they
did, had the same charm for all young
people but he said, "No; | must have
books and study. | have little money,
and not an hour of time to spare. |
must sacrifice this gay life to my pur-
pose to know something"
Some one has regarded it a sorrowful
saying of his, that up to his twenty-frst
year he never had dollar to spend
for anything" We confess that to us
this seems like a note of victory over
self, when we remember how many books
he had gathered together, and how care
fully he had studied them before that
time. Many young man, of even mod
crate means, has spent in theatre and
livery bills, and has smoked, and chew
ed, and drank, wasting halfdozen
times the money Wilson expended in
books. The sad, sad story is theirs,
not his. He held himself to straight
line of selfdenial, thus laying the basis
of a strong character.
Wilson's integrity in public life, re-
naming poor when he could so easily
enrich himself, and when it was quite
the fashion to use the chance for ones
financial advantage, this integrity makes
him good study for aspiring young
Americans. Mr. F. B. Carpenter relates
of him, that the evening before his in
auguration he borrowed of Charles
Sumner 500, as he said he hadn't mon
ey enough to be inaugurated on.
The Independent says the SIS 900 which
he left behind, represents the $3.50
which he had received for literary labor
done for that paper.
In Washington, corrupt as society is
from the influence of the Old World
embassies, Wilson always stood forth as
an nncompromising temperance man.
He describes his first great battle and
victory over the wine-drinking habits of
the Capitol, as occurring one day when
he was dining with John Quincy Adams,
He says;
Eminent men sat around that table,
one Of the number has since been speaker
of the House Of Representatives, two
have been cabinet officers, and two have
been foreign ministers | looked up to
MIR. Adams with profound admiration
and reverence. During the entertain
ment, Mr. Adams asked me to drink a
glass of wine with him. / was embar
rassed, hesitated moment; it was the
sorest trial of my life bnt somehow |
succeeded in stammering out, Sir, nee-
en- take mine. That answer settled the
matter for me, | have often since sat
at the table of governors, senators, and
foreign ministers, cabinet officers, gen.
erals, admirals and presidents, but | |
have ever found it easy to refuse the
proffered wine-cup. The real diff culty |
is not in others, it is in ourselves. Tenn
tations are ever around and about us.
The only thing for the temperance man
to do is to stand infexibly firm in his
plighted faith. He who is ready to live
by his temperance pledge will win the
respect even of men who indulge the
excessive use of intoxicating drinks.