Smyrna times., 1884-06-11
Success.

Financial success is no measure of Il
mans happiness, but it is often obtain
ed by the loss of it. The great majOri-
ty of human beings will assent to this
proposition in the abstract, yet in prac-
tice will risk the loss of happiness in
order to obtain financial success. 1t is
human nature to wish for more. The
poor boy, out at elbows and poorly
shOd, thinks it would be riches to earn
five dollars a week. This goal attain
ed, he commences to treat himself to a
few articles that seem luxuries to him.
though to others they are necessities,
and before long he also regards them
as necessities, and longs for five dollars
a day. Should he attain this his views
enlarge, possibilities of a fortune pass
before his mental vision, and, if gifted
with exceptional push and unscrupu-
lOusness, or favored by propitious cir
cumstances, he may blossom into u
millionaire.
But it is we'll for every young person
who is about to launch into life's
troubled sea to understand that the
only way to obtain the goal aimed at is
! to steer a definite course for it, leaving
to the right, to the left or behind all
other possible points Of landing Thus
/ success in any one direction can only
be attained by the sacrifice Of opportu-
mites in other directions. 1t NAV
broadly be said that any one who with
rigid determination works for def
mite end and will make progress toward
/ that end. He may fail to attain it;
others, stronger than he, may be striv-
] ing in the same direction, and there
may not be room for him; or he NAV
have set up for himself mark too
high for his powers. On the other
hand, he may attain and 20 beyond it
to newer and more distant goal, or
bask for the rest Of his life in the sun
shine Of the power, popularity, fame or
wealth that he lOnged for as Il youth
In any case the desired goal cannot be
obtained without constant effort and
self-denial, without constant resolu-
ton to keep in the course marked out.
without faith in ultimate SUCCESS, forti-
tude under misfortune, and elasticity
in rising above misfortune. Without IA
large measure Of all these success in
any sense is impossible; with all OF
them it is not certain. The flesh may
be weak, though the spirit is willing.
He who works hard may fall by the
way-may fall just as the coveted
prize seems in his grasp, or immediate
ly after he has grasped it. Even when
brain and body are alike ready to serve
their owner to the uttermost success
does not always follow. The struggle
is with men and with circumstances
and the result depends upon the char
acter Of the opposing men and circum-
stances
The best laid schemes o mice and men
Gang aft agley
The General who has won in twenty
battles may meet his match, or may bC
defeated by a concurrence of circum
stances he could not conquer. The
wisdom of Newton would be useless
against revolver in the hands Of
brainless brigand, and the astutenes
of the most skillful financier may no
tide him over a fall in values CAUSED
: by some unthOught-Of revolution.
No plaudits greet the loser, hOweve
well he may have played Applaus,
follows upon success, even though tn,
winner owe it entirely to the weakness
of his antagonists. But, whether win
S ner or loser, the cOmbatant for success
] can never revel in the sunny fields O
pleasurc-cau never afford to yield t
= the love of selfindulgcnce If hi
f search is for happiness, for the highes
: amount of pleasure that can be game
4 from life, he must be content to Q
+ without signal success, aim at the praC
c ticable, and live while he lives. Tn
I great millionaire who has made, no
inherited, his fortune is never happ
o or reasonably contented man; tn
S statesman to whose words Il nati0
= listens with respect knows not wha
!, peace and quiet mean; the famOU
/ scientist or literary man must to
:, harder than a blacksmith to keep u
0 the fame he has made.
f The nearest approach to happines
a is made by him whose life is frees
II from complications. lie who has Al
a tanned a livelihood without too great
IS strain upon his nerve and muscle;
e who owes no one anything and owl
II himself; he who has wrOngcd no on,
and whose life has passed without su
:, fering great wrong, is happier by ia
y than he who through cOmplicate
d paths, by questionable means. or in tn
r. teeth of great trials, has attained
Il dazzling success-happier far than /
= who has wrecked himself or others
: satisfy his ambition. So says I'll
l. moralist; but fame, and fortune, an
Il power still dazzle the beholder, an
e we madly throw life away in the
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