The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-03-27
4 Talk fifth The Boys About Making
The Most Of Themselves.

II don't know what to do" said one
just stepping from the threshold Of boy,
hood. My ability Is not great. If /
enter college there must be long years of
preparation. The fitting school, the col
legc, the professional school each demand
their weary years.
"If engage in mercantile business,
must commence at the bottom round. 1
must sweep the store and run errards
and 10 up bundles. I must slowly rise
if at all. How do 1 know I shall rise !;
l have no capital aud my business. ..capac.
ity is not wonderful.
"If | engage in manufacturing, there,
too, | must begin low if | would rise
high. must 60 into the lowest room of
the mill. / must learn ali the disagree
able details of the business. 1t will take
me years to learn, and after all may
fail.
"If am to be farmer | must have
long years Of disagreeable plodding. l
must pick up stones and drive cows and
water horses, and do Il thousand unheard-
of chores, before am prepared to even
run in debt for a. farm and 20 into husi
ness for myself 1tis hard row to hoe.
The field of lille is rocky one. Ibelieve
III settle down in my little corner, do as
we'll as l can the humble work that
comes to me, take the bitter with the
sweet, be content with Il lowly lot, and
fling ambition TO the winds. | am a
common boy-I might as we'll recognize
the fact now as ten years hence"
Let me speak as 4 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 medi-
cine so often prescribed, so seldom taken
advice.
And, first, I would say, the way is
rough. There is no fowery path to sue
cess. The road to honor and 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, hard work, and up hill
work at that.
"I don't know what to do," you say.
1t may not be time to make final de.
cision. 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 conf
dence. Think over it. Pray owe nit.
Take it. Once taken, don't stop to look
back. Go to work with will. Don't
say, "Oh, dear, 1 wish had done some
thing else; or, I am not suited to this
business or, don't believe | shall sue.
cecd." Unless health fails, or facts show
unmistakab.y that you are on the wrong
track, push on.
CHOW do know I shall rise," you
say.
Resolve that you will. Where there is
will there is way.
Those who have made their mark in
almost every calling are not those who
had the quickest apprehension, nor the
most retentiye memory, nor the most
nimble 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 GO litt!e
by little his work, and can keep on try
ing till he does it we'll, that boy has no
right to say, I have no ability. He has
ability, the highest kind Of ability, and
it is bis duty to make the most oft. He
owes it to himself. He owes it to the
world. lie owes it to his God, and to
those he loves next to God.
Make, then, the most of yourself, my
young friend. There is more good ma
terial than you think. The steel needs
tempering, the iron needs working, and
it will take time, but it is good solid ore,
work it we'll.
The strongest, the bravest, the best
men have been those who had hard
row to hoe, and who hoed it. Hoe away.
NY boys. Pull out the weeds. Work
aard. Don't be discouraged. There is
sunshine on the hilltops. There are
flowers By the roadside. You shall not
want a loving word, and if need be a
neInino hand -GoIdeu Rue.