Daily Republican., 1881-09-30

was all dark. sThere is his Margin
thought. 1t was fifteen minu rs more
1t was hunting out fifteen minutes
more of rules and root-derivatives
How often, when lesson Is well pre-
pared, just five minutes spent in per
fecting it will make one the best in the
class. The margin in such a case a.
that is very small, but it is all impor,
tant. The world is made up of little
things"
This little speech delivered on the
spur of the moment, could not have
been more sternly logical had il been
studied deeply and carefully prepared.
1t has the force ofa syllogism, SO clearly
and compactly are the points stated.
There is the assertion or proposition
that elite is made of margins" and the
apt elucdation Of it-"one mind is not
greater than another, perhaps, in the
grea+ bulk of its contents, but its mar
gin is greater, that's all Then fol
lows til illustration OF the glooes--the
ing for Knowledge "Many minds you
may consider wonderful in their capa-
city; they may be able to 20 only a
quarter of an inch beyond you. What
an incentive this should be for young
man to work, to make his margin as
great as, if not greater than, the mar.
gin of his fellows! p And finally COMES
the incident of his own life in college,
the story of the Latin lessons how his
tellow-student had gaineda margin Oh
him." as he expressed it. and how he
resolved that the adverse margin should
no longer tell against him in the class.
"How often" remarked the great stu.
dent, in conclusion, when lesson is
well prepared, just five minutes spent
in pertecting it will make one the best
in the class. The margin in such y
case as that is very small but it is all
Important. The world is made up of
little things.
1t was by taking account Ola snl
fractions OF time, by utilizing every
available five minutes, that Garfield
stored his mind with vast, inexhaust-
| ibe fund Of information. And to do
this a rigid system became essential,
and this system, in turn, so disposed
every item IF information that it was
always subject to the call OF the brain
when required.
"The world is made up of little
thlngs'--a very commonplace remark
un Ter ordinary circumstances, it may
be said, but very apt and very profound
as conclusion to the "talk" about lit
| tie margins of effort and little scraps
Of time.
Garfield is hero now and forever
more. His name is already inscribed in
| the temple of fame in undying charac-
ters, aud about the head of his statue
adlniring mortals will draw a halo of
Genius. Too few of the millions who
worship at the shrine of the patriot
martyr will realize the potency of in
detatigable labor, of untiring effort, as
an element of genius.
'' nd poets by their suffering grow.
As II there were 10 more to do
To make a poet excellent
Bat only wrnt and lisSontent.'
"The poetic genius is with signing
sent" and it is fit, for it is only by
struggles Of almost infuite pain that
genius scales the heights of fame. In
the simple, honest speech to the STU
dents of Hiram College, Garfield told
the story of his life; told how in boy
hood, youth and manhood he had Strug-
gled to Oexccll-how, at the start, he had
found the secret of success In a keen ap-
probation of the value of time and of
well-directed effort. Life is almost
wholly made up of marquis" aud he
who makes best use Of his margin of
time and thought mounts highest in the
scale of being.