Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-05-29
PRESIDENT GARFIELD on MAHeINs.

Life is almost wholly made up Of
margins. The bulk itself Of al
most anything is not what tells.
That exists anyway. That is ex-
pected. That is not what gives
the profit or makes the distinguish
ing differences. The grocer cares
little for the great bulk Of the
price Of his tea. 1t is the few cents
between the cost and selling price,
which he calls the margin, that
particularly interests him. Is this
to be great or small ? Is the thing
of Importance. Millions Of dollars
change hands in our great marts
of trade just on the question OF
margins. This same thing Is all
important in the subjectof thought.
One mind is not greater than
another, perhaps, in the great
bulk Of its contents; but its mar
gin is greater, that's all. | may
know just as much as you do about
the general details of a subject,
but you can 20 just little farther
than | can. You can tell me OF
some single thought just beyond
where l have gone. SO l must
succumb to your superiority.
A good way, to, carry out the
same idea, and better illustrate it,
is by globes. Didyou ever see two
globes whose only difference was,
that one had half an inch larger
diameter than the otherl This
larger one, although there is so
little difference, will entirely en-
close the other, and have a quarter
of an inch in every direction to
spare besides. Let these globes be
minds, with a living principle Of
some kind at their centres, which
throws out it's little tentacle-like
arms in every direction as radii to
explore for knowledge. The one
goes certain distance and stops.
1t can reach no farther. Ii has
reached its maximum of knowl.
e1ge in that direction. The .other
sends its arms out, and can reach
just a quarter of an inch farther.
So far az the first mind is able TO
tell, the other has gone infinitely
farther than it can reach. It goes
out to its farthest limit, and must
stop; the other tells him things he
did not know before. Many minds
you may consider wonderful in their
capacity. They may be able to go
only "A quarter Of an inch beyond
you. What an incentive this should
be for any young man to work to
make bis margin as great as, If not
greater than, the margin OIL fell
lows. r .
recall a good illustration OF this
when 1 was in college. A certain
young man was leading the class
in Aatin. l couldn't see how he
got the start of US all so. To US
he seemed TO have an infinite
knowledge. lie knew more than
we did. Finally, one day, asked
him when he learned his Latin les.
son. 'At night, he rep;iel. l
learned mine at the same time. His
window was not far from nine, and
| could see him from my own. had
finished my lesson. the next night
as well as usual, and, feeling sleepy,
was about to go to bed. happen.
cd to saunter to my window, and
there | saw my class-mate still
bending diligently over his book.
There's were he gets his margin
on me- | thought. But he shall
not have it for once l resolved.
81 will study just a little longer
than he does tonight So | took
down my books again, and, open.
ing to the lesson, went to work
with renewed vigor. watched for
the light to go out in my class.
mates room. In fifteen minutes it
was all dark. There is his mar.
gin,' thought. 1t was fifteen min.
utes more time. 1t was hunting
out fifteen minutes more Of rules
aud root derivatives. How often,
when lesson IS well-prepared, just
five minutes spent in perfecting it
will make one the best in the class.
The margin in such a case as that
is very small, bat it is all.import.
ant. The world is made up OF little
things. Gen. Garfield.