The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-02-20
How TO Rise.
BY JOSEPH ALDEN.

water. They simply seek for what
they shall eat, and what they shall
drink, and wherewithal they shall be
clothed. There are others who de.
sire. above all things, to become rich.
There are others who, while they
value wealth as q means OF enjoy
ment and usefulness, desire some
thing higher. They desire kuowl-
edge, intelligence, mental power.
They see persons distinguished and
influential in consequence of mental
culture. They desire a similar dis
tinction aud influence.
But they lack the means of culture.
They are. perhaps, obliged to labor
for their daily bread. The school and
the instructor, the books and the
leisure. are not for them. They have
burning thirst for knowledge. but
the spring Is distant and unapproach-
able.
They look with envy upon those
who enjoy all the advantages for edn-
cation thas can be desired. They
hook with contempt upon those whe
possess advantages which, from in
dolence, they fail 10 use. 1t is for
this class that this Article is written.
Men have, it is true, very different
advantages for Improvement; but the
persons for whom am writing pos
sess one advantage greater than is
possessed by many If those whose
advantages they envy. 1t IL the de-
sire for knowledge, the desire for
mental improvement, the desire to
rise to the comr anionship of men OF
mind and culture. Without this de.
sire, no external advantages win be
OF any avail. It Is impossible to edu-
cate u mind that has no desire for
knowledge, no kindling OF enthusiasm
In contemplating those who have left
footprints on the sands of Tina
Ny young reader. you have some
desire TO become an intelligent and
influential. nay m)re. a distie gu;shed
man. 1t is TO some extent evident
that yon have the capacity to become
such man.
This desire should be cherished and
strengthened. The stronger the de-
sire, the more vigorous will be the
action to which /; will lead. The
1 more vigorous the action, the greater
the Improvement
This desire may be strengthened
] by considering the advantages of
mental culture. 1t took Hugh Miller
from the stone quarry and placed
him among the intellectual chiefs
whom Scotland delighted 70 honor.
The great Chalmers gave the stone
cutter the right hand of fellowship
when he laid aside the chisel and NAL
let and took the editorial chair of a
paper whose influence was felt
throughout the length and breadth OF
the land. Remember, Hugh Miller
had no culture but that acquired by
himself while laboring as a Journey
men, lodging In no 'els. and living
upon oatmeal. You possess far great
or advantages for self-improvement
than he possessed. e
1 Th;,t~ Of xvl,1 al
vantages inferior to yours, became
one OF the leading statesmen OF the
age, and its most distinguished phil
osopher; whose writings exerted n
greater influence than the writings OF
the most highly educated men OF his
day. All this was done by tho dill
gent use OF means far inferior to those
within your reach. r
Instaed OF sighing over advantages
which you do not possess, resolve
with an iron will, TO make the besi
possible use of those within youl
reach. You will then be surprised tc
find how many advantages you have
and what progress you can make.
The way to secure better advan
tages is TO make a dillgent use o
those you have. Men are always dis
posed TO help those who earnestly
help themselves. a
Two men were moving. One had 4
cast-steel scythe, with patent snath
The other had very inferior scythe
Your friend has the advantage o
you," said gentleman who was pass
ing and stopped a moment Us thu
man was whetting his soythe; "h'
| has much the better tool to worl
with"
"Thats So" was the reply. "but thi
is the best one / could get. TIL,
grass must be cut: / must work til,
harder" Apd he went on mowin:
!, with will.
The gentleman was in need OF al
assistant in his business. He wante,
a man TO do whatever was necessar,
to be done. He hired the man witt
the poor scythe. and thus laid tn
foundation OF his fortune. III the ma
had remained idle till he got first
class scythe, he would have misse
his oppt rtunity of making fortune
Do not remain idle waiting for bet
ter advantages for mental improve
u ment. Begin to- day the diligen; us
OF those you have. The world want
men who feel that work must l.
y done, and will do il with poor tools
they cannot get good ones. Make u