The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-12
as long as it is just and you are honest and
diligent in the doing of it. AS some poet
has put it:
Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws,
Makes that and the action fine.

N~~
Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws,
Makes that and The action fine"
1t is we'll, in my opinion, to accustom
ones self early to work and not to be afraid
of any kind Of work that is honest and use
full. l began to support myself when l was
twelve years old, and / have never been de-
pendent on others since then. l have had
some schooling, but not much; l never
went to college, not because l did nOt.think
n college career might not be a good thing
for those who could afford it and Who
could make a good use of it, but because !
did not feel that it was SO important for
me as to be earning my own living. When
| left home to come to Philadelphia, one of
my relatives said that l would soon have
enough of that, and would be coming back
again. But l made up my mind that l
would never go back would succeed. l
had health. the power of APPLYING myself.
and, l suppose, a fair mount of brains. l
came to Philadelphia with three dollars in
my pocket. ! found board and lodgings
for two dollars and a half, and then l got a
place as office boy for three dollars. That
gave me II surplus of fifty cents a week. l
did not merels do the work that l was
absolutely required to do, but l did all |
could, and put my heart into it. l wanted
my employer to feel that I was more useful
to him than he expected me to be. l was
not afraid to clean and sweep and perform
what might be considered by some young
gentlemen nowadays as mental work and
therefore beneath them. | did not think it
il were nece ssary l would sweep ont my
office to-day; and l often carry bundles.
But the other day, a youth came to me to
ask if l could find some employment for
him. His father had died, and his mother
could not support him, and he wished to
that he had on very nice clothes, and kid
gloves. | asked him if he would like to
wheel a wheel-barrow. He seemed sur
prised and answered that he didn't think
he would like that. Then l asked him if
he would object to carrying bundles. Well,
He was like Many young men, who talk
about wanting to work, but, when it
comes to the point, they want to
do only kid glove sort Of work. ]
must say don't have much
sympaty with that sort of feeling. Men are
all brothers, and what is worthy of one is
not unworthy of any one. The bible says
that it is what cometh out of the mouth
that defleth a man. 1t is not work, but
character, that can be discreditable.
But a man can be Industrious. and yet
his industry may not achieve much valua-
bic results. You must not only work, but
you must order your work with intelligence.
You must be preparing the way for what
you intend to become, as we'll rs to do what
lies to your hand. While | was working as
errand and office boy, l improved such op-
portunity as | had to read books, and to
attend to book sales, so AZ to learn the
market value of books and anything else
that might be useful to me hereafter. II
was my aim always to be in a position where
l could use my best talents to the best nd.
vantage. l fixed my ambition high, so that,
even if l did not realize the highest, l might
at least always be tending upwards. A
man should not only use all his faculties
but be constantly developing them, SO that
he can do more. Ii you jump ut a thing
with your whole heart and mind, though
YOU may not be exceptionally able,
it is wonderful how much you may accom-.
plish. But il You ar6 half hearted
you will fail. You must not yield to the
temptation to relax you efforts. and turr
off and amuse yourself. When | was young
l lived near Il theater, and many of the &C
tors knew me. and ] might have gone il
any time and witnessed the performance
without having to pay tor it. Other boys
acquaintance of mine, used to do it: and
would have iked to do it. But | thought
over, and l made up my min that / woul,
not. And 1 never did. This self denia
l II it may be called that, did nc
q make me morose or unhappy. On Ia
contrary, | WAS always cheerful. / took n
b dong 1t we'll. and in the feeling that l wa
= getting on, and in a way to become some
s thlnR. And that sort of pleasure is, afte
Q all, more real and lasting han is to be gt
. from going to a thsater wien one might h
= doing something useful.
As time went on l kept lettering my pr