Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-09-09
Veal In Literature.

The tender flesh of the calf does moi
appear in the spring market more surely
than, little later in the season, comes
the annual supply Of gushing essays,
oraflons. valedictories, class histories
and mild, unseasoned products of the
pen generally, from college and school
graduates.
FROM these young persons we hear
all about Greece and Rome, the battle
OF life, the lessons of history and what
constitutes true heroism. Every newly
made bachelor of art expects to Guido
the fathers and climb up to some high
plnnacle-.Iofty pinnacle" he puts it
OF fame and fortune, little dreaming that
the battle of life leaves good many OF
Its soldiers sprawling upon the ground,
and that, ten chances to one, double
his present number of years will find
him wondering how in the warld he is
going to make both ends meet from
month to month.
The college graduate does not in truth
enter upon the work of his life, if he is
ever so lucky as to find that work, until
after long apprenticeship which fol-
lows his academical course. Except in
the single path of teaching others just
whathe has been learning himself, there
Is no road open to him for immediate
occupation. There is nothing in the
ordinary business of life for which he is
fitted. If he studies a profession, that
takes other years, and when they are
passed the young lawyer, or preacher.
or doctor is only where he fancied him
self to be when he took his first degree,
and he must then find somebody to en-
ploy him, and how many hopeful lives
are worried by disappointment in the
search, the college catalogues never
show.
Lucky is the young man fresh from
school who has paternal purse to fall
back npon for the first few years after
he has left that stony hearted institution
which he fondly calls his alma mater.
The pater will be much more to his
purpose If he is so fortunate as to have
one able and willing to lift him along.
The old dons who sit upon the plat
form at commencent time and hear the
fervid oratory burst forth in long words
and mighty phrases from the nicely ap-
pareled youth who stand before them,
and listen to discoures of the true
aims of life and of ambition, must think
how they, too, had their season of rose
water and how wofully in after life it be-
came salt to the taste and bitter to the
lips; and yet they know that the young
man who has not the hopefulness that is
corn of inexperience and the extrava-
gance OF expression that comes of i'm
maturity. is not the one who is likely to
accomplish any good in the world.
After all, the college essay, is an in
dication of what IFS writer will become
capable of doing, is excellent almost in
the exact proportions of it's quality as
literary veal. There is no hope of any
boy who does not choose subject big
ger than any man would dare to wrestle
with, and whose views do not betoken
the largeness of limited knowledge. He
must aim to do more, and undertake to
do more at twenty than he would think
of doing at forty, otherwise at forty he
will try to do nothing at all. What
Youngster, knowing exactly the trials
that are before him, would have the
courage to set about even the things in
which he can finally succeed?
1t is no cause for regret that young
men attempt to soar to the stars, even
if they do not reach them. They will
get higher so than by trying to fly along
the ground. If their compositions are
gushing, let us be thankful that it is so.
It is symptom of life and vigor that
will in time give forth constant and
useful stream.