Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-02-20
Opportunities and Conditions Of
Success IN Life. 81

IA llsl
Opportunities and Conditions Of
Success in Life.
~rhe worid,s Opportunities is the
title Of . new book just published, in.
which the author takes compreh extensive
survey Of the principal industries and
vocahons which are or can be carried on
in the United States, with view to as
certain and to point out the opportun-
ties which they present for the attain
ment OF success in life. The author
says truly that whenever a change in
ones condition is desirable it is right to
effect a change. It is right if q mans
position is q bad one that he should
seek for better one. The right posi-
ton for man TO- occupy is the best one
to which he can honestly and honor
ably attain by the exercise of all his
powers and the best use Of all his op-,
portunities. The chapter en- Mechanics
and Manufactures contains 3 great deal
of valuable information and advice, which
can be profitably studied by oil who are
engaged in those pursuits. The author
sums up the main conditions as fol-
| ows:
First-Choose we'll the particular
advocation in which You are to engage,
having special reference to your
OWN qualifications, mental as well as
physical. If you are Of delicate
rame, the trade Of blacksmith and
carpenter is not for you. If your
fingers are deficient in suppleness,
and in celebrity Of movement, the
craft of composition is not for you. IF
you happen to be color. blind, do not
try to become painter. If there is no
special disqualifcaf.o on, then of all the
occupations open Is you, select the one
which promises to pay best. If for any
reason, Or even for no reason which you
can definitely assign, you have liking
for any particular trade, that one, other
things being equal, should be chosen.
If you are fond of reading, that is a
good reason for becoming a printer; if
you have natural mechanical turn, you
are specially fitted for machinest,
cabinet-maker, or mill-wright, and all
the more so if you have an inventive
genius. The inventor who cannot, with
his own hands. make, at least, a model
of his invention, labors under a serious,
though not insuperable disadvantage.
Second-Nlake yourself a thorough
master of your trade, including the use
Of the machinery and other tools used
s it; but do not confne yourself to it as
to render yourself incable Of doing any
thing else. No one handicraft is suffi-
cient to exhaust all the capabilities Of
any one man. You will be the better
painter for being able to handle the. saw
the better joiner for knowing how to use
the brush; the better machinist for &C.
quiring the use of the pencil.
Third-Having learned your trade,
whatever it may be, look we'll for a
location in which to exercise it. It is
asimportant to know where to do
thing as how to do it. DO not become
50 enamored of your present abode as
to refuse to leave it for a better one, nor
so given to change as to seek it merely
for it's own sake. OF course healthful-
ness or unhealthfulness OF place is q
great reason for or against choosing it.
Fourth-Be on the alert for oppor-
tunities to better your condition. Look
for them, for it is not often they will
come unsought, or that accident will
throw them in your path. It is very
right and proper to be Railways con-
tented with our present condition."
provided always that it is the one we
are best fitted to fill. But it is by
no means certain that the condition
in which one finds himself is the one in
which Providence designed him to re-
main. To George Washington it may
have seemed at time that the lot of &
land surveyor was divinely appointed
to him; and he would certainly have
made a good surveyor. George Ste
phenson was GOLFERS helper, ignorant
Of the alphabet until he had al
most reached manhood. When at
thirty he was made an engine
driver at Gl00 year, he thought he
was "made man." and had reached the
highest stage to which Providence had
assigned him; but Providence willed
that he should not be content in that
position. Had Peter Cooper remained
IN any one of the various occupations to
winch PROVIDENCE Aau apparently calico
him, We cannot we'll imagine how great
losers we should have been. It is the
men who have not been content with
their present condition." but have al
ways yearned after and striven for
something better, who have not only
improved their own affairs, but those
Of the world
Fifth-To skill and industry, presis-
tence and energy, with intelligence to
guide them, aid honesty in act and
purpose. Be content with no present
state, however good, SO long Us there
appears to be something beyond at
tainable. However high you have
climbed, let your motto and watchword
still be "Excelsior"-yet higher.