Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-04-13
The TOP of the ladder.


Nine o'clocki The school-bell rank,
out Arthur, deep in the life of yelling
Ton, and with his fingers in both ears,
dld not hear it. Wellington was his
nero, and he read and re-read every
tale In his brilliant life. 1t was life
worth living, Harry thought, all excite.
ment and glory. He means to be q
Wellington himself some day. He an.
ished the book in about half an hour
and then hurried to school, thinking
contemptuously IF its routine and OF
the boys who seemed so contented with
their simple lives. How he would sur,
prise them all some-day, he thought
later-these boys who laughed when
the teacher called him to account fol
his hardness, and wouldn't take his
excuse of not hearing the bell. He
had to comfort himself in some way
Tor he was forced to pay for his half
hours reading with two hours study,
after school, under the masters eye.
He met Robert Blackburn on his
way home: he had been studying In
the summer-house ever since school was
out, and was as glad as Arthur to
stretch himself.
"What makes you study when you
don't have to?" Arthur asked impa-
tiently.
81 do have TO-" was the quiet reply.
IL want to be somebody some day"
"a teacher, suppose" Arthur said,
with something in his tone, if not in
his words, that made Robert color.
But he only said in his simple de-
cided way, Eyes, teacher, but not
perhaps of books-I am studying for a
soldiers life"
"You," Arthur's surprise was so
genuine that Robert had to laugh.
but you are so quiet and care Sc
much for books and all that" Arthur,
said, after moments pause to collect
himself. Now with me it is so differ.
emit. must have life and excitement.
seem to be more fitted for that. This
school business is too irksome."
Robert smiled. "We cannot rule till
we learn to obey, you know; and how
can we learn better than by submitting
without question to school-rules and
decipline? really enjoy doing this,
now that intend to be a soldier.
Every day Is clear gain. know /
am fitJing myself for it.
A strange and decidedly new feeling
of respect for this quiet boy, with firm
resolution and self-control, came over
Arthur.
"But the books" he said, "what use
can all those stupid Latin rules and
geography and history be to a gcner-
alp"
"Why, a general will want all kinds
of knowledge if he is to be good for
anything. The more knowledge the
more power he will have. What
would he do in new country If he
had no knowledge of geography or
engineeringT
Arthur felt ashamed and discour.
aged by this time, and was humbled
sufficiently to admit a little of it to
Robert, and confessed that his ambi-
ton was to be soldier and a general
like Wellington.
"First rater said Robert, heartily.
"Then we will work together and see
who gets to the top of the ladder first. "
Quite inspired by Roberts determine
ton to prepare himself for the future
he wanted, Arthur started in the same
sensible way. He was soon surprised
at the actual pleasure he took in
school. Those irksome rules seemed
quite different things, now that he
looked at himself as soldier under
orders, learning to obey. Sometimes
he would feel like giving up some vex-
ing problem. but hint from Robert
one day that "Wellington never called
difficulties impossibilities," proved the
best spur he could have. If he wanted
to be a great man be must make him.
self one. That was clear to him now.
He knew, too. that no man ever rose
to eminence- without long, patient ef-
fort and self-deniaS Step by step he
would mount the ladder as Robert was
already doing. God helping him, he,
too, would be firm and resolute and
keep the mastery over himself. He
was determined, to- change for the bet
ter. and he did!
One day in reading he came across
an incident that did more than any
thing else to impress Roberts words
and example, and to keep him hopeful
and earnest from that time on. 1t
was this: When the Duke of yelling.
ton revisited the school whene he pre-
pared for college, he was cheered
loudly by the beys for his great mAi'
tary success.
His reply was, GBoys, Waterloo was
won al Eton.s
a Little Teo BAH