Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-02
INSPIRING THE BOYS.

In u TecenC leuCer, reference is Hdue
to a gentleman who, when he stood be-
fore a school of boys to address them,
stimulated them by telling them that if
they worked hard in school and after
wards, they might N day be Mayor of
the city, Governor of the State and
President of the United States. He
also told them that the rich men of the
country were one poor, and by indus
try, perseverance and hard work had
made millions of money, and were now
able to live like nabobs. Thus he taught
the boys to aim at high office and great
wealth as the true measure of success.
This description brings wildly before
me IN incident which occurred in New
York some years ago. A mission school,
in which I was interested, celebrated it's
removal to better quarters. Several
gentlemen addressed the school. One
Of them employed the arguments and
Almost n}h the te, very fIa anns" afSsr quoted %ss a above I'VE.
tue OF merit in Office or money, and
neither of them was a fit object of pur-
suit as an end; they are to be sought
only as the means of accomplishing
something for the good Of others and
Gnc glory OF GOu.
The first speaker had supported his
appeal to the avarice and ambition of
the boys before him, by relating this
story: he said a merchant from the
country requested to be introduced at
one of the banks down town, and after
an interview with the President, said,
on going out, ''what q superior man the
President is!'
"Now, boys" said the speaker, 81
replied to my friend, that bank Presi-
dent vas once a poor little boy, en-
ployed to sweep out the bank, and has
risen by talents and toll to be a rich and
great a So may any of you become
a bank President, or a great merchant,
or q member of Congress-" A third
speaker then addressed the school, who
told the following anecdote as an offset
to the former:
He entitled it "the sad story of a boy
who was ruined by false teaching at a
mission SCHOOL,
He said there was once a boy whose
teacher talked to him much about get
ting on in the world, becoming rich and
great. At length his mind was fired
with two master passions, avarice and
ambition-he wanted to be rich and he
wanted to go to Congress. He thought
of it continually; he could see no
method Of accomplishing his purposes;
years passed away, and yet his longings
were ungratifed; he remained poor and
obscure. He became desperate; he de-
termined to have money by some
means, and with that to make his way
to the capitol. He brooded over the
matter day and night, his whole nature
was absorbed in the desire for riches
and power. At length a fatal opportu-
nifty offered, and in an evil hour, frantic
with the thirst for gold and office, he
committed robbery to a large amount,
and as he clutched the wages of crime
he thought he touched the first step in
the ladder of fame and wealth. Visions
OF future ease and distinction rose be-
fore him; he spurned the low and sor-
did past, and glowed with hopes of the
future.
But, alas! the hand of Justice sudden
ly arrested him, blighted all his fond,
delusive prospects, and cast him down
into the depths Of despair and misery.
That young man, instead of grazing the
halls OF legislation, is now a convict in
the States prison.
His former teacher heard of it and
went to see him. He expressed much
sympathy with the young man, and
asked how he could have forgotten the
instructions of the Sunday-school and
committed a crime which had brought
him into wretchedness.
Judge of his surprise and horror
when the unhappy criminal turned on
him bitterly with being the author OF
his misfortunes. sYou taught me-" he
said, ''to regard the pursuit of money
and power as the chief aim of life.
tried to reach it honestly, but failed:
looking upon failure as more Disgrace
full than honesty, I fell into the snare.
|. 'But for your teachings 1 wouldhay
been content with my humble lot in
life, and might have lived v%irtuously
and usefully; but you created within me
a restless longing which 1 could not re-
press. and which 1 could not satisfy bv
any honest means. 1t stung me to the
! quick that, after all my aspirations and