The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-22
SIDE-TRACKEO IN LIFE.
why Young People should Study Their
Own Aptitudes.


Own Aptitudes.
A Boston paper lately published a
number of interviews with men who
had become '.side-tracked'' in life.
By this is meant men, though willing
to work. yet were unable to find any
thing congenial to do.
They were men who had somehow
got out of the current of the great forces
in which the world is moving. and were
stranded, IS it were, like helpless hulks
along the sands of time There are
more such men and women in every
community than most people imagine,
Perhaps the most numerous class of
men who get side-tracked are those
who start in life in an occupation for
which they have no natural aptitude.
There are thousands of farmer boys
who never should remain on the farm
the loud protestations of the agricul-
tural press to the contrary notwith-
standing. There are. doubtless, men
who make life business of stirring the
soil when they ought to be stirring the
Senate; and, on the contrary. perhaps,
there are men who are trying to stir
the Senate who ought to be stirring the
soil. Good business men are frequently
spoilt to make poor preachers; and there
are many large and heavy lawyers who
would make ideal blacksmiths; and
there are some slender and unsuccess-
full blacksmiths with the keen logical
brain and the shrewd masterful mind
of the lawyer. Such men are side
tracked for life, unless there is some
great event crosses their track, such as
crossed the track of Grant the teamster,
or Cromwell the country squire. But
no doubt there are many Grants who
always team, and many Cromwells who
never leave the farm. There are many
men who start out in life, like hunters,
on the wrong trail. They never bring
down their game because their game
has gone in another direction. They
are like fishermen, who bob for cod i'll
a trout brook, or start a-whaling on an
inland pond.
tracked for life at their very birth.
They are born into a mesh of circum-
stances from which there is no extrica-
ton. Of course it is easy enough to
say that a man, like water, will always
find his level; but it is hard for water
to rise plumb with its fountain-head
when confined in an underground pipe.
1t would have been difficult for Shakes.
peare to assert his claim to Immortality
II he had been born in Patagonia, and
we would never have heard of Plato il
he had first seen the light in Scythia.
To say nothing of the hereditary in
fluences that mold the unborn man.
the environment of the young humans
infancy usually shapes and directs his
destiny, so irrevocably that only men
of the strongest will AMI the toughest
mental and physical fiber can ever
cOunteract the impetus that is given
them in childhood. To be sure there
are few who
Burst their births invidious bar,
And grasp the skirts of happy chance,
Anu DItdSl inc DlONS Ol
And grapple with their evil star.
but men of such heroic breed are al
ways SO few that they are perpetually
a source of special wonder.
The lesson that young people should
gain from all this is the Importance of
studying their own aptitudes. In
choosing a profession do not consult
your egotism, but your personal fitness;
and if the surroundings of your birth
are unfavorable to your fullest devel-
opement, overcome them as much as
possible by the indomitable stubborn
ness of your own will. To do this, learn
TO think for yourself at as early an age
as possible, and you will soon learn
that a man well intrenched within him.
self is able to rise above the repressions
and contracting force of circumstances
Above all things do7hot get side-tracked
at the start. Yankee Blade.