The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-03-05
LOngfelIow's "ENcelslor."

4 mother was once telling her little
son the story of the boy who stood on
the burning deck and persisted in the
flames, rather than disobey his fathers
commands. The little child listened
very attentiyely to the story, heard the
mother commend the boys obedience,
but then grandly said: MA | think
that boy was very good but he wasn't
very smart. " To my mind the youth
in Excelsior" was neither very good
nor very smart. Ii he was inspired by
any worthy motive to force his way TO
the top OF the frozen Alps; if he went
there IN pursuit Of truth, or to rescue
the perishing, or for any other worthy
purpose, his conduct deserves COM
incubation, otherwise he acted very
foolishly. Ambition is not a safe
guide. The youth in Excelsior IS by
no means the only person who has
been ruined by it, Ills dangerous to
despise the advice of the old, or the
experienced, or the simpler pleasures
of home, all TO crafty foolish ambi-
ton to go higher.
The Ambitions Youth" who climb
ed up the side of the natural bridge Of
Virginia that he might cut his name
above all others, involved himself and
his friends in terrible trouble. 1t is
the spirit that animated Alexander
Cesar, Napoleon, and conquerors gem
orally. y desire TO 90 higher simply
Tor the sake OF going higher, not to ac-
complish any worthy purpose by doing
it. II Is not the spirit of Columbus or
Washington or Lincoln. The best
work OF the world has been done bv
men VINO carried no flags and sounded
notyumpeIs before them. They wrought
patiently in secret, till suddenly the
word found them at the top OF the
mountain before it scarcely knew Of
their existence.
80 intent were they on the work they
were doing, they scarcely considered
whether they were going up or down.
Indeed, generally to human vision,
they had seemed 10 be going down.
The world laughed at FGltons folly,
but Fulton persevered and now is dis
tingUished rs the inventor of steam
boats
If the youth in Excelsior" had
walked thoughaully up the mountain
we would have supposed he was en-
gagged in some laudable enterprise.
perhaps studying the glaciers, or the
geology Of the mountains. or possibly
searching for wanderers lost in the
snow. But his only apparent motive
in spurning the advice Of the old man.
the experienced peasant, and despising
the endeayments of home and love,
was that be might carry his flag ND
the mountain side and yell, Excel |
sio-, something after the style Of
what j called blowing your own
trumpet
But "li-h;s which great men reach !
and keep" are not attained in tAa,wav. |
or with such a spirit. Doubtful whether !
this youth ever reached the summit. |
M.n never attain true greatness whose
ony inspiration is TO compare them |
selves with their neigh ors and then |
determine q. every cost 10 carry Their |
own flag still. higher.
Blowing yoUr own trumpet- and car
! ~ AF-! NJ" y u - = hC4N III " H---lt
emp-o ymeul for men anywhere The
hound which found tie youth:
'>ri crgsp.E- ia his band @. .ca
I4at t@.ae. wl4 E.e strange .ty.ge."
Was doing better wo-s than be- | like
better the spirit Of q song ,Aat tells Of
q nightingale watch once sang a note
gu. Of tune, and was a.mo., ready to
di Of shame. Surely, it thought, cv-
cry bird in the woods was laughing
at il.
Bat after a season Of humiliation the
opened its mouth again
ana sang to the skies, not caring VINO
heard. or what they thought, and such
divine music VS. never before heard in
the woods.
Let men be intent, not on carving
their flags % the high places Of earth,
but on doing the WORK before them in
the best possible manner, and from the
best possible motive. In that way only
is true greatness, 10 be found.-MrS.
Il clmrH ~ tie Cdcu'md Lcqder.