The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-12-20
Anaerson gntelligfnfes.
A Talk With the Boys About Making
tho Most OF Themselves.

tic MOSt OF tHclnSelNeSs
"I don't know wha. to dc" said ono
Just stepping from the threshold of boy.
hood "My ability is not great. II
enter college there must be long years OF
preparation. The fitting school, Tie
college, the professional school each de
mand their weary years.
If / engage in mercantile business,
must commence at the bottom round. !
must sweep the store and run crrands
and do up bundles. | must slowly rise
if at all How do know | shall rise ;
have no capital aud my bnSines: capac'
ity is not wonderful.
"If | engage III manufacturing, there,
too, must begin low if would rise
high. must 20 into the lowest room OF
the mill must learn all the disagrcra-
Bile details of the business. II will take
me years to learn, and after all may
fail.
"If I am to be farmer ] must have
long years Of disagresable plodding !
must pick up stones and drive COWS and
water horses, and do thousand unheard-
Of chores, before am prepared TO even
run in debt for y farm and 20 into busi.
ness for myself Ii is hard row to hoe.
The field Of life is n rocky one. be.
licve I'll settle down III my little corner,
do as well Gs can the humble work that
comes to me, take thc bitter with the
sweet, be confer. with lowiy ~,
and fling ambition to the winds. | an. n
common boy-I might as well recognize
the fact now az ten years hence
Let me speak az friend who has
travelled this rocky road many years be-
fore you. Let me tell my little story.
Let me give you a big dose Of that mcdi
cine so often prescribed, so seldom taken
advice.
And, first, would say, the way is
rough. There is no flowery path to sue
cess. The road to honor aud usefulness
is not paved one. Whatever vocation
you choose, be it law or medicine, or the
ministry, or agriculture, or merchandise,
it is work, work, bard work, and up hill
work at that.
Il don't know what 10 do,' you sny.
It may not be time to make final dc.
cisinn There are many lessons you
ought to learn, no matter what pursuit in
life you follow. Have you learned those
But if you feel that the time has really
come, that you must decide and yet you
cannot, then ask advice, ask some one in
whose judgment you have confidence.
Think over it. Pray over it. Take it.
Once taken, don't stop to look back.
Go to work with will. Don't say,
"Oh, dear, wish had done something
else or, am not suited to this business !;
or, don't believe shall succccd." I'm
less health fails, or facts show unmistak-
ably that you are on the wrong track,
push on.
'How do know ] snail rise" you
say.
Resolve that you will. Where there
IL a will there is a way.
These whG have made !he;r mark in
almost every calling arc not those who
had the quickest apprehension, nor the
most retentive memory, nor the most
ninibie fingers, nor the most unerring
judgment. They are those who have
persevered. They did not fail, because
they would not fail.
The boy who can work steadily, with
one purpose in view, who can do little
by little his work, and can keep on try.
ing till he does it we'll, that boy has no
right to say, have no ability. lie has
ability, the highest kind of ability, and
1t is his duty to make the most Of it.
He owes it to himself He owes it to
the world. He owes it to his God, and
to those he loves next to God.
Make, then, tho most Of yourself, my
young friend. There is more good mate.
rial than you think. Tho steel needs
tempering, the iron needs working, and
it will take time, but it is good solid ore,
work it we'll.
Tho strongest, tho bravest, the best
men have been those who had hard
row to hoe, and who hoed it. Hoe away,
my boys. ru!! out .he weeds. Work
hard. Don't be discouraged. There is
sunshine on the hilltops. There are
flowers by the roadside. You shall not
want loving word, and if need be
helping hand.-Gotien Rulc.