Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-23
GETTING READY TO BE GREAT.

After the lessons for the next day had
been prepared, Olivia said to her five
pupils, as they We're putting away their
books:
II know a boy who is getting ready
to be great"
ga boy who is getting ready to be
g%reat!'' echoed Harry and Robert.
eyes, returned Olivia. He proba-
bly, would be surprised if any one told
him; but he is fast preparing himself to
be distinguished"
"Who is he?" ''What's his name?"
and "Where does he live?" questioned
the boys.
Cant you guess?" returned Olivia.
''He goes to your school; he lives not
far away, and you see him every day."
Robert wondered if he could be the
one to whom his sister alluded. He
had done so well for the past few
weeks; he had proved all his examples
without grumbling; he was head in
grammar class, and he was cultivating
mental and moral power in various
ways. Perhaps his sister did mean
him.
'What does a fellow have to do when
he gets ready to be great?" asked New
ell. Tell us that, Cousin 'Livia, then
perhaps we a guess"
II didn't know boys were ever
great" said Harry"
"Greatness does not come suddenly"
returned the young girl. 'The world
does not often see it till it is in blossom;
but it is q long while in growing; so
long that one who wishes to be noted
among men must lay the foundation for
greatness when young. This boys
superiority may not be acknowledged in
thirty or forty years, but that his name
will be distinguished some day I firmly
believe"
$50 it takes greatness thirty or forty
years to grow?" said Harry, in some
surprise.
Eyes, all of that-a lifetime. Yet it
comes like a tree, from very small
seeds. What peculiar quality do we
see in all great men-in Washington, in
Lincoln, in Garfield, in Humboldt, and
in Columbus, Luther, Newton, and
hosts of others?"
"Genius," answered Newell.
"Vim," cried Robert, proud of the
friendly relations he was forming with
this quality.
Genius" said Olivia, .sdid not make
them famous. Thousands of boys have
genius, but they never amount to any
thing because"
Because they haven't vim," ex-
claimed Robert.
EYES," smiled his sister, ''because
they haven't vim. But what is the root
of vim-the moral root, I mean, not the
Latin one"
II should think a good strong will
might be-" said Newell.
eyes," said Olivia, all these men
had good strong wills, and, what is
more to the purpose, the will of each
was we'll trained. They were what we
call self-reliant. Self-reliance means
more than dependence upon yourself; it
means trust in God first, and faith in
yourself next. Do you suppose Colum-
bus asked any one to do his thinking
for him?" .
eve know he didn't" responded
Harry. And Robert said, stoutly:
'"No, Stree; he did his own thinking:.'
"And so did George Washington and
James Garfield and Newton and Lu-
lther," said Newell"
"Then you know a boy who does his
own thinking, 'Livia?" spoke up Laura.
who all this time had been thinking and
listening.
Olivia smiled and nodded her head.
"And | suppose he always knows his
lessons" ventured Robert.
His sister nodded again.
"And.h he goes to our school?' unused
.Hettie, who before this had not uttered
a word. "It must be Tommy Davi-
,son!''
Tommy! Tommy Davison" they
"No-o," said Robert, incredulously;
but Olivia nodded her head and said,
quietly: "He is the boy"
"But he isn't any smarter than we
are" protested Newell.
"Not a bit,' returned Olivia.
"But you said"
II said he was getting ready to be
great"
{, There was a little silence-a heavy
silence. 1t was broken by Newell, who
asked: "Do you suppose he does his
own t~hinking?"
II know he does" was the young
ilady's reply.
"Why-now do you know, Oliviar"
"He would not join u preparatory
class, though I asked him to, and told
him that it should cost him nothing; so
it wasn't his poverty that kept him from
coming. 1t was his self-reliance. 1 saw
.hlro to-day and asked him how he was
,rrpt{in<~ ~ LII 1-4 ~.
and am astonished at the sensible books
he reads. just think of a boy of twelve
reading C%arlyle's French Revolution
and liking it, too! Why, it is a work
Tor a man! And he studies up Carlyle's
chapters from other books as he goes
along-from histories and biographies:
ne finds these in the public library or in
the pastors encyclopedia. He is a
prodigy" said Olivia, warmly, "and a
good boy, too; and that is why L know
The 10 rnftirrr raol- ~ 10 ~