Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-08-03
BOYS, WHERE ARE YOU?

BOYS, WHERE ARE YOU?
BOYS, where are you on the road of
life? There are two roads, you know,
one leading up to the summit of true
nobility, the other leading down
through marsh and slime to the quag-
mires Of shame, degradation and self
adherence.
Boys, which road have you taken
and how far have you gone? Where
are you tonight, and where do you in
tend to be twenty years hence? You
mean to make your mark in the world,
do you not? You have dreams of
wealth and fame won byyour own I'M
firing zeal and industry; you look for
ward to the time when you will be
men and do mems work, and some of
you hope to occupy high places in the
land. That's right, boys; dream and
hope and work. Some of you will be
presidents, secretaries, treasurers and
leading business men one day.
What kind of men are you going to
make? What kind of work will you
do? What will our country be when
you have charge of it?
You cannot all be presidents, you
may not all become rich or famous.
but you can all be good and great men
if you will.
But suppose you are one day called
to occupy a position of great response
bility, are you ready for it, boys?
Have you clean hands, a clean
heart and a clear head? Are you
putting aside the filthy habits, pull
ing up the noxiOus weeds, and looping
off the unfaithful branches of your
character?
You have high aim in life, you
are earnestly working to carve out for
yourself a great future, but boys, are
you ready for the good fortune when
you have earned it? You are bound
to be a leader among men you say
hold moment-are you aOorthy to be
a leader?
When you have mounted the ladder
of fame to its very top, will you stand
there, clOse-fisted, conservative, one
idea man, OF will you carry up there
with you free, generous heart, and
the ability to make the world better
and happier?
An ambition which could find it's
fruition in merely earthly honors is
not a noble one. Seek to occupy a
high place, boys, that you may do
more good when you have obtained 1t.
Begin now to scatter little seeds of
kindness all along your way, and by
and by they will spring up and bear
good fruit.
There is much in getting a right
start, and much in holding out. There
is scarcely ever boy who starts out
with the intention of becoming a dis
honest, untruthful, bad man. But
sometimes boy makes a mistake. He
did not mean to do wrong, but he was
not earnest and thoughtful; he was
careless. Then, when the mistake oc-
CURED, somebody scolded, and exag-
gerated the mistake into a sin, which
disheartened and discouraged him.
But do not give up, boys, because
the road is rough, the hill hard to
climb. 1t is worth while to be honest
and good, one thinks so much more of
oneself.
You have many discouragements.
You have thorny paths to tread, flow
cry roads to allure you, and mountains
of difficulties to conquer, if you wish
for success, but remember the promise
is given to him that OUercometh, and
not to the one that floats away with
the tide
You must fight if you would win.
Do not think of giving up. Be strong.
Wrestle with the waves; do not let
them carry you back. If you wish for
excellency, struggle for it, and the
struggle will inspire and invigorate
you.
Sometimes boys have no one to sym
pathize with them, no one to care
whether they stand or fall. Let me
tell you something: there is hope, en-
enlargement, sympathy and love aOait-
ing IN the future for every one who
does his best to give sunshine and SYM
pathy to others. For the man who
fails there are only tears and regrets,
and sometimes few of them; for the
man who aCi11s there is all he himself
has won, and all his thronging friends
can give him.