The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1886-06-26
GAINING AND ACHIEVING.

and shaping the life of every healthy
and active man and woman-the pur.
pose ofgaining something and the pur
pose Of doing something. Both are
needful for the welfare ut the individu
al aud the best interests Of society,
but the emphasis which is laid ..on q
or the other marks an important dis.
tinction in character and result.
Though blended. together, u general
ly comes to be the ruin. purpose of
gain others gain for the purpose OF
doing.
Two persons are employed side by
side. The mind of the one is entirely
occupied with thoughts of the pay he
is to receive. On this all his hopes
and a~nticipations are fixed. No other
result of his labor interests him. His
aim is to get the maximum of money
for the minimum of work, and all his
efforts are directed. wisely or unwis-ly.
to this end. The other is 10y no means
Indifferent to his compensation. H.
looks forward to pay day, aud sees in
it various means of happiness. But he
also has another purpose in view. Not
only nor chiefly what he is going to
get, but what he is going to do. dwells
in his thoughts and animates his hopes.
lie wants to make his work excellent
he feels au honest pleasure in its quail
ty, its strength. its fair proportions, or
its finish. He hopes to acquire still
greater skill. and to work out still bet
ter results.
Here again are two employers +; they
may be contractors. or anufacturers,
or merchants. One is absorbed with
the desire of gain. He looks on his
workmen, or operatives, o. clerks rs
upon SO many machines, which Ii be
made to fill his Golfers, and his settled
policy is to get from them the most
work for the least pay,::while in dealing
with his customers his chief aim is to
secure as much monay tor as little
value in goods as possible. The other
hopes for a fair reward for his eyertious.
but he hapes also for other things. He
gauges his. business prosperity, not
alone by his yearly sbaIance of profits,
bat also by the. character he has estab
'lshed for integrity and fair dealing, by
the welfare and happiness Of those he
has employed, and the community.
His gains, whatever they may be, are
not the one end to which he has sacri-
feed all else, but rathe: the means by
winch he intends to enlarge his power
Tor good, both to those who serve him
and those whom he serves.
So in every occupation, and in all
the phases of life, for the same dlstinc
ton may be seen. Some are struggling
for name and place, applause and fame,
fortune Or dignities, not caring much
how they attain then, or whom they
Knock down In the mad conflict and
II hey fail to secur the prizes ftr
which they toll, they are wrecked in
happiness and life. Others are graft |
fled with what falls to their lot of such
things. but are still more int rested in !
Il higher kind Of success. What have
they done ? Is a more vital question to
them than What have they gained
the artist embodied the finest con
ception.? Has the author instructed Or
elevated his readers Has The orator
lnplred and uplifted his audience ?
Has the physician battIed with diseased
Has the reformer aided the weak and
erring! Has the statesman benefited
his country Has the mother made
a blessed place Unless such
questions can be aft answered,
the true toilers in these spheres cannot
themselves successful, though
rich prizes may have fallen at their
feet. All on great men-all whom his
tory cherishes and posterity honors-
nave belonged to the latter class. They
not spent their lives in Acquiring.
'cc%umu'ating, enjoying they have
1chiered something, and thus their
James live in remembrance. When
recall such names as Washington.
Franklin, Jenner, Shakespeare. Jeffer-