The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-07-21
MARLBOROUGH, FRIDAY JULY 81 1s:
HOPE.

To one who has passed the age of
ambition and is philosophically accept
ing whatever fate may have in store
for him, much enjoyment may be Oh
tanned from observing the hopes and
ambitions of young people about to
leave school or college and enter upon
the serious business of life. He sees
reflected in the bright faces of the
young something Of his own spirit ii;
a similar age and if he has not been
soured 10y advcrsity he will encourage
them, though he may know that they
will meet with many disappointmcnts
and discover after time that there
are more things to be learned than are
taught in schools or colleges, or even
in universities. The hopeful spirit is
an essential element in a successful ca
reer. 1t inspires to effort and helps
to overcome misfortunes. knowledge
and ability count for great deal, but
hope and selfconfidence for quite as
much. Without these little use is
made Of either knowledge or ability;
with them the youth struggles on un-
til by hard service and experience he
has acquired both knowledge and abil-
ity. The young are naturally hopeful,
so that it is not necessary to inspire
them with promises of success in life;
nor is it necessary on the other hand
to dampen their ardor by pointing out
to them the few prizes that are offered
to 4 great number of contestants.
They will be discouraged soon enough
by sad experience; the best we can do
for them is 10 teach them enough phil
osophv to sustain them under disap-
pointments while keeping their hopes
alive. No mans age is properly reck-
oned by the years he has lived, but by
the condition of his heart When he
is no longer young in years and his
personal ambitions have become Il men,
ory, he should still be young enough
in heart to sympathize with the youth
who are about to begin the battle OF
life and should have enough of hope
and ambition left to bestOw them upon
younger men. To such men school
or college commencement is an itspir-
ing scene. The fresh young faces and
high ambitions of the graduates bring
back to memory scenes Of other days
and stories, some sad and some merry,
of the struggles, victories and defeat
in which he and his companions were
engaged. ''Hope," says the poet,
''springs eternal in the human breast" :"
and this is true in the broad sense,
though the objects of hope may change
as one advances in years. In youth
the hope is for personal advancement
or success in life, each individual hay
ing his own idea of what constitutes
success; but as age comes on the good
man grows less and less selfish, his
hopes centre in the careers of others
than himsclf-his children or grand
children are the wards for whom he
cares in public institutions-and i'll his
later years his hopes turn to the future
life. If he is mentally sound and
ri.hlIy constituted hope never deserts
him. 1t is the handspring of action
and when he has nothing further to
look forward to in this world for him
self he will find enjoyment in the hopes
inspired by young people whom he has
helped to good start in life. The
hopeful, CHEEKY spirit is Il great COM
forter, especially in old age, and to get
the greatest enjoyment out of life one
should mingle with the young, share
in their enjoyments, be inspired by their
ambitions and help them to the reaiza-
tion of their rational hopcs.-Baltimore
Sun.