The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-04-17
Step by Step.

"How NICELY you do that, auntie,'
said young girl, as she took up the
handsome piece of needlework. II
wonder if I shall ever be able to sew as
neatly as that! May be l will when I
am as old as you are," she added, with
q rather disagreeable emphasis.
"May be you VIM" said her rela-
tive, with q flush of color on her cheek,
If you practice while you're young"
Now practice was just what Alice
Vericool disliked more than ANYTHING
else in the world, and Aunt Mercy
knew it, and while she listened to the
praise of her giddy young niece, her
thoughts wandered back to the days
and hours she had spent in endeavor-
ing to acquire her present skillfulness
with the needle.
20, I'd never have the patience to
put in all those tiny stitchesr' said
Alice, examining more closely the
fairy-like garment. "Isn't it per-
fectly lovely?'
Alice was girl of very strong de-
sires and very lofty ambition. She
longed to be distinguished pianist, or
artist, or anything else that would Sc
cure her the admiring plaudits and the
laurel wreath. But as for climbing
the ladder of fame step by step, or
working gradually up to the coveted
position, why. that never entered her
silly head! She wouldn't do it. She
wanted the prize without running the
race, and seemed to be in some daily
anticipation of some miraculous inter-
position on her behalf.
She was familiar with the story of
Joan of Arc, of the Maid of Saragossa,
and other historical heroines, and was
so dazzled by the glory that shone
around their grand achievements that
she failed to see the hard and th0rny
road by which they had attained that
height.
1t would be so pleasant to have q
staircase ready-made on which we
might ascend, and take our places
among the illustrious ones! But to be
illustrious one must be industrious, and
it is a wise providence that prevents
the transition of genius. "There is
room at the top for those who have
not only the talent, but the persever-
ance to continue climbing.
Alice Vericool wouldn't practice her
music lesson because she was jealous
of other girls who played better than
she did, and so there is no possibility
of her ever being a fine performer. If,
instead, she had taken counsel with
herself, and determined to acquire skill
by persistent application. had raised
her standard and fought her way up to
it, she would have done credit to her.
self and teachers, and avoided hearing
her father say as often as he did, 1T
is throwing money away to pay for
Alice's tuition"
1t is only by long practice that the
marksman can hit the ''bulr s-eye"
with such unerring aim. You admire,
and you are astonished at his success.
as you wouldn't be could you count the
nuEb Der of bis failures. His skill is not
at all the result of accident, or the eff
feet of sudden inspiration, but there
was much previous experience, the cul-
tivation of sef-reliance, the ambition
to excel.
Step by step we win our way, as
scholars, as teachers. into every posi-
ton that is worth having, or worth
striving for; and if any of my readers
are waiting, like Alice Vericoo], in the
expectation of a reward they haven't
earned and are not entitled to, they
will find, even should they live to be
old, that they have made but little
progress, and are not among those who
have been crowned by fame.--SundGy-
School ClGssnnate