Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-05-29
Encourage Home Talent.

its and wholly neglect to give proper en-
enlargement to home talent. The famous
western novelist, Mr.. E. w. Howe, hits
the nail exactly on its very head in his
novel "The Story of a Country Town"
which made a great hit few years ago
aud received the enthusiastic praise Of
such eminent literary men as w. d. How
ellis and Mark Twain. In chapter head
ed "The Peculiarities of Country Town"
Mr.. Howe says:
"There was one thing noticed of Twin
Mounds which is probably true of every
other country town-it was constantly
threatened either with great prosperity or
great danger, but whether the event
threatening the prosperity or the danger
came to pass the town progressed about
the same. There was 10 perceptible effect
from any of the events the people were
certain would prove either very disastrous
or of great benefit from which am led to
believe that no one is familiar with the
art Of town building, although have
never known man who did not profess
TO know all there is worth knowing about
the science.
Towns seem to be the natural accre-
ton of years, and although the people in
Twin Mounds often related how desperate
were there struggles with adversely the
facts probably are that the place would
have been fully as large without the great
number of public meetings for public pur
poses and the endless worry Of individuals
with reference TO it.
"There was very general impression
that manufactures were needed and this
was talked about so much, and so many
inducements were offered. that the people
became discouraged, believing that the
average manufacturer had a wicked heart
and hollow head TO thus wrong Twin
Mounds in the face of his own Interest,"
Therefore we we're very much surprised
TO learn once, after all hope had been
abandoned, that quiet man was build
ing a WOODEN mill down the river, which
he completed and afierward operated with
out the help Of the committees which had
been appointed to aid in such matters of
public veal
"The trouble was that the man lived
in Two Mounds, whereas we had been ex-
pecling man and money to come from
distant point for that purpose and had
never thought about looking about home,
but spent a great deal Of money in send
ing committees away to make arrange
ments for a woolen mill. This circum-
stance, though huniiating, proved good
thing, for it taught the people that if the
town we're to be built up at all it must be
by its own citizens, which knowledge was
afterward used to good advantage.
"The people were always miserable by
reason of predictions thai unless impossi-
bic amounts of money re given TO GER
tain enterprises the town would be ruined,
and, although they always gave, no sooner
was one fund exhausted than it became
necessary to raise another. 1t was said
during the collection of each amount that
il would never be necessary again TO give
to this sort of charity, as the enterprise
in hand would insure the fortune of Twin
Mounds, but there was never an end TO
the ridiculous business. and we were al
WAYS in a state of dreariness on this &C.
cbunt, as the men demanding the charity
for Insignificant enterprises threatened to
90 to rival towns aud permit the grass to
grow in our streets.
"In thinking of the matter since | have
thought that Twin Mounds would have
been much better town but for the fact
that it was always expecting improbable
disaster, but which never came, for the
people were thus prevented from exercising
their energy, if they had any"
Al hough the above exception is from a
work of fiction, it is so true to life that its
wisdom is apparent. Three good points
to remember are the following:
Always encourage home talent when it
stands ready to establish au enterprise
that will build up the town.
Never attempt to raise more money TO
secure new enterprises than the town can
afford to part with.
Always look on the bright side Of the
towns outlook. Never predict anything
but prosperity. Well men often die be-
cause they believe they are suffering from
some wholly imaginary ailmeni, aud a
good town sometimes retrogrades simply
because Of the croaking Of calamity howl
ers. Say nothing if you cannot say a
good word for the town, but keep on saw
Ing the towns wood.
An English edition of Richard Harding