St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-10-26
Failures in Life.

Many men never make success. They
seem born to fail in all that they under
take. Yet failure, to certain extent at
least. is traceable to removable causes.
We recognize the fact that individuals are
gifted with well developed talent in Ger
tain directions, and that with them sue
cess in the direction in which their pecu-
liar talent lies is much easier than it
would be with one who is not thus gifted.
AS rule, however, industry, application
and perseverance are necessary to success,
and they will do much toward aiding even
one without special talent to achieve de-
gree of success Lucky men are not
numerous, though we admit that there
are men who are forced into fortune and
fame. But ordinarily the "1ucky' is he
who has been industrious, careful, eco
nomical and who possesses in marked
degree all the virtues that naturally point
to success. 1t is always well for US, how
ever, to recognize the fact that none of US
are SO versatile that he can be master OF
ANYTHING and everything. A man may be
good all round editor who could not
make a farmer of himself if he tried
hundred years. He may be good, intel
ligent highly educated farmer, and yet
with the severest training could not De
made an editor. He may succeed as
preacher, but would utterly fail as law
yer or doctor. One reason why SO many
Young men get into the wrong business
and fail of success is because parents do
not sufficiently study the peculiarly OF
children with view of discovering just
what peculiar abilities the child has. 1t
is right here that the manual training
school comes in with excellent effect. 1t
gives an all round education of practical
character, and it develops any special tai
ent that the boy may have, or rather dis
covers it first and then it naturally devei-
ops The parent should make a severe
study of his child's nature. He should
closely watch every tendency, and in time
he will discover what the strongest talent
is. Some children from very early age
show special talents. Others do not, and
to determine in just what direction nature
has been most bountiful must be the sub
iect of close scrutiny. But when it is dis
covered it is crime against the child not
to exert every influence to turn the child
into the path to which his talents point
Let no false pride prompt the parent to go
against the child's nature. Let no sight
of the future hard hands, as the boy stands
at the mechanics bench, where nature de-
signed him to stand, induce father or
mother to try to make professional man
out of such boy.
Men often find, too, that up to certain
point in any line of business they are sue
cessful, but beyond that they are failures.
The preacher may be able to start church
and accomplish a successful work up to
certain stage, and then the church may
die on his hands. The lawyer may sue
cessfully bnild up practice, but beyond
a certain boundary he is unable to keep it !;
| the farmer who is q success on quarter
section may fail on a section. These re-
suits only signify that there is limit to
the individuals ability. The water gets
too deep for him, and wisdom suggests
that he paddle his canoe nearer the shore
| 1t is time wasted and ability wasted not tc
recognize such facts when they exist. AL
men cannot be Napoleons or Gen. Grants
But that does not signify that in thei1
proper sphere they are not just as usefu
to themselves sud the world as they coule
be if they were greater men. 1t is sale
that zone star differeth from another sta
in glory" and men differ here, but lik'
the stars in glory or in the armament, w
all have our places of usefulness. Ii w
would take cognizance of these facts, ant
downing all spirit of pride, put ourselve
lust where we belong, and do our full
duty in our respective spheres, we shoul
greatly conduce to our prosperity and hap
piness. Western R1qal.