The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-08-13
INDUSTRY AND ZEAL.
DISTINCTION COMES TO FEW,
70 Become Distinguished One Must
Employ all Ones Energies.


The curious-minded, watching ants
at work, will be struck by the increas-
ing industry and persistence of the IN
dfviduals. They may work for COM
mon end in harmony one with another
but each appears to attend strictly to
the business he himself has In hand
without regard to what his neighbors
are doing. Once in a while they may
help companion who has met some
uncommon difficulty, but the general
impression one gets from their conduct
is that they are very industrious, self
reliant and persistent. Despair seems
to be unknown to them. One may put
obstacle after obstacle in their path,
but they will surmount or 20 around
thebarrier and attack as cheerfully as
ever the new one placed before them.
In these respects their conduct very
much resem bles that of successful men.
Industry, cheerful persistence, strict
attention to ones own affairs, except
when one has an opportunity to help
the distressed-these are the character
istics of men who push ahead in the
world and ultimately attain positions
of distinction. The amiable men who
are easily led into other fields than
their own, who turn on slight invita-
ton from their own immediate busi-
ness to advise or help their friends who
have no very definite objects in lite or
who lack industry and persistence, nev-
er attain distinction, for as a matter of
fact distinction comes to very few. In
any calling or occupation the ordinary
workers are numbered by hundreds or
thousands, the exceptional by tens, the
distinguished by units. And to become
distinguished one must employ all
ones energies, and, like the ants, toll
on persistently and cheerfully in spite
of a succession of disappointments.
In the little world of the ant the flu
ture must often be of a character to
ny mound of earth may shut off from
his view the goal toward which he is
toiling, but, ignoring what is to come,
he addresses himself to surmounting or
evading the obstacle Immediately in
his path. That done, he attacks the
next, and so on, seemingly without
thought of anything beyond the work
in hand. The reasoning animal, man,
can scarcely be expected to be as obliv-
lous as the ant of what lies beyond the
first obstruction to his progress. He
could not, if he would, wholly ignore
consideration of the future, but he
should at least initiate the ant in zeal
ously laboring to overcome present dit
ficulties. We are all familiar with the
pleasant biblical story which tells OF
the rewards given to those who have
done we'll the work presented for them
to do, and that story is illustrated every
day IN the ordinary affairs OF life.
But it may be laid down as general
rule that the man, however able, who
does not do minor work we'll, who CON-
plains that he is out of place and fitted
for better things, will not get better en-
ployment. His abilities are known
only to himself and no one else has
faith in their existence unless he has
furnished proof that he possesses them
by doing well the inferior work COM
mitted to his care. To the young,
therefore, one may safely recommend
as means to promotion and ultimate
success In life zeal, industry and per-
slstence IN any work, however humble,
committed to their care. They may
look ambitlously beyond their present
calling and prepare themselves for
higher things by study, but they should
never neglect the present for the fu'
ture, nor lead others to doubt their ca
pacity or worth by any exhibition Of
carelessness, laziness or indifference
however unimportant or distasteful may
be the task committed to their care.
Before commencing to seed raislns
after the stems are removed, cover the