The Bossier banner., 1895-06-13

y
scripts, clippings, and notes. He
made new collection, devoting to
the work all his leisure time for sew
eral years, and at last was able to see
his long cherished plan carried into
effect. His stories have enabled him
to illustrate in a most forcible man
ner the wisdom of the advice he ad-
ministers. They have put it in his
power to show that hundreds of men
and women have done what he tells
the unpropitiously-born youths of
America they can do if they only will.
The first lesson which Mr.. Marden
teaches is that the world, and partic-
ularly America, is full of work, and
that nobody should wait for an op-
portunity. "Make youropportunity,"
ne says. SNAKE it as every man
must who would accomplish anything
worth the effort. Golden opportuni-
ties are nothing to laziness, but in
dustry makes the commonest chances
golden" To make good this lesson,
Mr.. Marden tells stories of Nelson.
Napoleon, Grant, Horotius, Leonidas,
Themistocies, Caesar, Wellington,
Grace Darling, Ida Lewis Canova,
Girard,- Robert Owen, Vanderbilt,
Elizabeth Fry, and twenty or thirty
others-the stoiies for the most part
being admirably illustrative OF the
point in view.
The next chapter, which is headed
"Boys with No Chance" is practical
ly reinforcement of the opening
lesson. "There is" says the author,
"bread and success for every youth
under the American flag who has en-
ergy and ability to seize his opportu-
nifty. It matters not whether the
boy is born in log cabin or in a
mansion; if he is dominated by res
olute purpose and upholds himself,
neither men nor demons can keep
him down." The point is made in
each instance that success came to
the individual through the exercise
of courage and perseverance in the
face of difficulties which in the onset
seemed almost insurmountable.
The possibilities in Spare Mo-
ments " is the subject OF the succeed
ing chapter, in which the value of
time is illustrated by stories of what
men have done in odd minutes. "The
great majority OF youth who go to
the bad are ruined after SUPPER" Mr..
Marden says, and he adds per contra
"Most of those who climb upward
to honor and fame devote their even
ings to study Or work or the society
of the wise and good. For the right
use of these leisure hours, what we
have called she waste of life, the odd
moments usually thrown away, the
author would plead with every youth.
Time is money. We should not be
stingy or mean with it, but we should
not throw away an hour any more
than we would throw away dollar
bill. Waste of time means waste oi
energy, waste of vitality, waste OF
character in dissipation. It means
bad habits, bad companions. 1t means
a waste OF opportunities that will
never come back. Beware how you
kill time, for all your future lives in
it."
4 This is one of the authors longest
sermons. His preaching for the most
part, is extremely brief. Indeed, his
remarks are the texts, and the preach
ing is done by the great men and
women whom he has called to his aid
Sydney Smith, DIR. Storrs, Edward
Sugden, Daniel Webster, Lord Brou.
CHAM, Canning, Harriet Martineau
and William Pitt all have something
to say in two pages, at which The
book opens by chance, and on almost
any other two pages at which tht