The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-02-14
HE TELLS HIS OWN STORY.

HE TELLS HIS OWN STORY.
The following is the story as told
by himself in newspaper article pub
lished about two years ago. 1t will
be found exceedingly interesting at
this time:
began to support myself when l
was twelve years old, and Ihave never
been dependent on others since then.
1 had had some schooling, but not
much I never went to college, not
because I did not think college
career might not be good thing for
those who could offord it, and who
could make good use of it, but
because I 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 rela-
tives said shat I would soon have
enough of that, and would be coming
back again.
But made up my mind that I
would never go back-I would succeed.
I had health, the power Of applying
myself, and, I suppose, a fair amount
of brains. I came to Philadelphia
with 50 in my pocket. I found board
and lodgings for $3.50, and then I got
a place as office boy for So. That gave
me surplus of so cents week. 1
did not merely do the work that I was
absolutely required to do, but 1 did all
I could, and put my heart into it. l
wanted my employer 70 feel that [ was
more useful to him than he expected
me to be.
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. I did not think it beneath me
then, aud I should not now. If it
were necessary I would sweep out my
Office to-day and [ often carry bum
dies. But the other day youth came
to me to see if I could find some EN-
ployment for him. His father had
died, and his mother could not support
him, and he wished to support him
self. I looked at him, and saw that
he had on very nice clothes and kid
gloves. I asked him if he would like
to wheel wheelbarrow.
he seemed surprised, and answered
that he didn't think he would like
that. Then I asked him if he would
object to carrying bundles. Well, he
wasn't anxious to carry bundles either.
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. I must
say that / don't have much sympathy
with that sort Of feeling. Men are all
brothers, and what is worthy Of one ia
not unworthy Of any one. The Bible
says it is what cometh out of the
mouth that defleth man. It is not
work, but character, that can be dis
creditable.
But man can be Industrious, and
yet his industry may not achieve much
valuable result. You must not only
work, but you must order your work
with intelligence. You must be pre-.
pairing the way for what you intend to
become as we'll as do what lies to your
hand. While I was working as errand
and Office boy improved such oppor-
tunity as had to read books and to
attend book sales, so as to learn the
market value of books and anything
else that might be useful to me here.
after.
It was my aim always to be in Q
position where I could use my best
talents to the best advantage. I fixed
my ambition high, so that, even if
did not realize the highest, I might al
least always be tending upward. A
man should not only use all his facul
ties, but be constantly developing
them so that he can do more. If you
jump as thing with your whole heart
and mind, though you may not be ex
ceptionally able, it is wonderful how
much you may accomplish.
But if you are half-hearted you viii
fail. You must not yield to the temp
tation to relax your efforts and turr
off and amuse yourself. When I was
young lived near theatre, ano
many of the actors knew me, and
might have gone in any time and wit
messed the performance without hav
ing to pay for it. Other boys, ac
quaintances of mine, used to do it
and would like to have done it. Blu
I thought it over, and I made up my
mind that I would not. I never did
This self-dcnial, if it may be callet
that, did not make me morose or un
happy. On the contrary I was Away!
cheerful. I took an interest in m.
work, and took pleasure in doing i
we'll, and in the feeling that I wa:
getting on and in way to become
something. And that sort of pleasure
is, after all, more real and lastin!
than is to be got from going to
theatre when one might be doing
something useful.
AS time went on [ kept betterint