Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-29

DR.. Mason, the oldest man in the room, said:
will tell you story worth writing and
printing | see that it is now the fashionable
thing for men and women who have made
little stir in the world to tell ell about the
books which influenced them and the Incl
dents which turned them into the highways
which led 10 fortune or to fame. Well,
am not famous, thank heaven, but perhaps
the experiences of a man who has escaped
fame may rot be without use to somebody.
have always believed in luck. | don't at
tempt.to justify my belief. | know that l
can't hold my ground in argument against
those who say there is no such thing. l only
know that | believe i'll it. The superstition
was born ii; me There is q proverb in tho
Castilian tongue which says: ''He who ex-
peets good luck Will surely get it, read
that before WAS - years old, AMI ut once
put faith in it, 1t confirmed the hope within
me, that tllc future eIdsomething exception
ally good for me. Perhaps each one of US has
that feelia". but not everybody evolves it
into sait.l and regularly lives by it. did
| bad 'ireary childhood u Official. youth
and struggling carly manhood. That
proycrb Helped me to 20 through everything
with Garage. Usually | hated proverbs.
Ny father had stock uf very disagreeaole
,,nes which he showerel upon me G: all sea
.oEa an. hot.rs. They vino know nothing
fear nos!img," Birds that lily high light
low and others of equally d.iscouraging
power were ever on the cad OF bis tongue.
But Tho proverb that promised sood luck
simply because oae expected il was both
balm and inspiration to me-
When playing with other boys end trouble
OF any kind was imminent always took the
most cheerful ground, and assured them that
everything would turn out oil right. And
was terribly in earnest, TOO. felt that all
would go well somehow. The result was that
every one took hope and met difficulty and
danger as his master. not his victim. The
boys soon learned to depend upon me for
strength and encouragement, and they stuck
to mo with romantic devotion. l learned
then the wonderful Influence one mind can
have over others when it recognizes no such
thing as fear. Call it superstition, foolish
ness, what you will; but my faith in that
proyerb was something marvellous. will adj
init, however, that am Of a credulous nature.
When 1 was young believed every nsser-
ton | ever heard or read. was not ques-
tiouer or doubter. II man asserted some
thing believed him because supposed that
he knew, else he would not assert. 1t never
occurred to me that he might lie Being
honest myself believed in the honesty OF
others.
lived in the country and l longed to live
in the city. My parents were well to do; but
it was the custom of that locality to live SIM
ply and bring the children up to work.
Mental accomplishments did not take high
rank in the circle in which moved for the
first fifteen years of my life / wanted
better education than l was ever likely to
get Somehow fancied that would get
though | could not see how. The holidays
always carry me DacK IN memory TO some or
the main events of my life. l believe that
fortune has habit of making extraordinary
changes when the Old Year goes out and the
new one comes At least it has done so more
than once in my case; and that is why Inow
tell this story to you younger people, VINO
naturally think of new leaves Of many kinds
in connection with the New Year.
| was only Is years old when one bitter
winter took contract to chop large
quantity of cord wood. 1t was one OF the
few ways boys had in that locality of earn-
ing little money. 1t seems Ike rough
way to me now; but we did not think so
then. was I'D at 5 o'clock in the morning,
and BY had had my breakfast, and was in
the woods sending the echo Of my strokes far
over the hills Twas working for purpose.
The winters chopping would give me money
enough to start in small business upon
which had set my heart. 1t was nothing
less than to buy out tin shop at 1.-THE Cor
ners," the nearest village In imagination
saw myself ''store keeper at once per-
son of dignity in the community and highly
satisfactory to himself. Isoared even higher
than that. saw myself living in nne
house, growing elderly. pompous and lat,
and in all probability president OF a bank,
like Judge johnson, for whom l turned on
the sidewalk every time met him at ine
Corners" as every other youth did, because
lie was so rich and important.
New Years day found me in the woods,
chopping away as usual Holidays were not
observed in that community, and festivities
were MS rare as angels visits. An extra piece
of pie in my lunch pail and bit OF some
thing unusual for sumner were al teeb