Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-07
soxErHrxe Foa THE Bo1s.

Are YOU ever ashamed OF the clothes you
wear because they are not so new and fash
ionable as some other boys clothes! Do
you ever fold your arms while standing to
recite your lessons in school, because your
jacket sleeves refuse te cover your wrists!
Do you ever look down to the knees of
your pants and then across the aisle to the
knees Of the other boys pants, and blush
because yours boast patch neatly set in or
darned underneath? l hope not, although
have known boys to be ashamed and leave
school on account of such trifies, and for
this reason, because have kaorn of such
instances, l take this opportunity Of say
ing-never mind the patches-pay no atten-
ton to the jacket sleeves that bid good bye
to your wrists long time ago, but 60 on with
the work of getting an education. Do you
know that nine times in len the boys that
have to work the hardest to hide the want
and pinch at home, are just the ones TO
whom our nation will one day look as being
its greatest men! That il has been so we
know and that it will continue to be SO We
still believe. once knew a little boy who
was obligei to cit in one corner all
the evening, with his mothers apron tied
uefore him, because he was too ragged 10 be
. en- playing with the her CHILDREN. But
d, you think he cried aud whimpered ard
acted ashamed-no indeed he just sat it
out, never moving from his chair for the
whole evening. To-day he is young man
and holds position Of trust in distant
State young man was attending school
His clothes needed repairing He found
some pieces of his homemade garments in
bis trunk-they had neen placed there by
his mother, together with needle and thread.
These he tried to fade out" AS he after
ward expressed it, to match his faded and
thread bare sleeves. How well he succeed
ed really do not know, but this do know
hat he did not despair nor cut himself
sh 1rt of good education because of few
patches thst did not quite match in color or
texture. That young man is today learn
ed Divine. He has visited Europe, and is
the father of a rising young man in another
profession and is by the world counted
wealthy | xnow another young man, who.
while working his way through college,
taught n whole term of school liz pair of
pants into which had been inserted pieces
from above the knees to the hens. He
was not ashamed of patches or if he was.
no one knew it, neither did the,
hinder him from flashing his
college course. A little boy once
took for subject on which to write a
composition, Education" He began it
With the quotation Now had the pen of
Daniel Webster | might do justice to my
subject" He wrote his composition il Il .
open chamber of al old one -roomed hou g -,
on top Of M old fashioned meal chest
That boy is now man. He has been for
many years famous teacher in western
city. And so | could mention many more
little boys who graduated long ago from
darns, patches and short wasted jackets,
who to-day are filling positions of trust
and where only true and good men could
stand. these are every one facts, not
made up for the purpose of making outia
story but genuine facts. | am sure that
not one who reads this letter will ever
again blush on account of, or ever COM
pain because he has to wear neatly mend
ed clothes, nor leave school on account of
so trtllDg thing. 1t is not fine clothes,
but the push that is in you that will make
you man. Whatever You aim let it be
so high and SO far. that you cannot even
hope to attain, short Of long years Of toll
and self denial. There lie more satisfaction
to great mind in slow aud
sure advancement, with by and by
a foundation built of one's best efforts, on
which to stand, than 10 early maturity, with
not enough sustaining power to reach to the
end. Then bear in mind boys that while
you are looking away into the future for
what you would like TO be, and mean to be
when you are men, that nothing which you
have power to conceive of, long for and are
willing 10 work for, is beyond your power
10 attain; and the farther OF it seems and
the harder TO gain the su,er will You be of
reaching it. We are none of US apt to care
for any length of time, for what is easily
obtained, or costs US no effort. Then re-
peat. the farther the object of your desire
seems TO you now, the more earnest will you
be to attsin it. See to it that you make
great and good men, but in order to be good
men you must lay the foundation upon truth
and honesty while you are yet boys.
Yours sincerely C. b.