Middletown transcript., 1899-02-18

Let perseverance conquer fate,
And merit seize the victor's crown.
Phoebe Cary.
''sUCcEss -
IH.HERE is mark and here is ball"
el9 said shrewd employer, to thirty ap.
1S plicants who bad answered his adver-
tisement for boy; F" let me see which
of you, in seven chances, can hit it often.
est" All missed the mark. "Come back
tomorrow, said he 'and see if you can do
bette1.''
The next day brought but one little fel.
low, who said he was ready for the test:
and, when he tried. he hit the center every
time.
How is this?" asked the man. in sur
prise. Why" said the boy, II wanted the
place very much. to help my mother, so 1
practiced all night in the she'd" 1t is need
less to say that he was engaged, for he was
boy made of the right stuff. and he bro't
it out for use and promotion.
WORK DEMoLIsHEs OBSTACLES.
Daniel Webster had no remarkable traits
of character in his boyhood He was sent to
Exeter Academy. in New Hampshire, and
stayed there only short time A neighbor.
finding him crying on his way home, and
asking the reason, Daniel said he despaired
of ever making scholar He said the boys
made fun of him, for always being at the
foot of the class, and that he had decided
to give up and go home. The friend said
he ought to go back, and see what hard work
would do. He went back, applied himself to
his studies with determination to win, and
it was not long before he silenced those
who had ridiculed him, by reaching the
head of the class, and remaining there.
u have talked with great men," Lincoln
told his fellow-clerk and friend, Greene.
land do not see how they differ from,
from Others"
He made up his mind to put himself be-
fore the public, and talked of his plans to
his friends. In order to keep in practice in
speaking, he walked seven or eight miles to
debating clubs. "Practicing polemics, +" was
what he called exercise.
He seemed for the first time to have be-
gun to study subjects, Grammar was his
first choice. He sought Mentor Graham,
the schoolmaster, and asked his advice.
If you are going before the public" Mr..
Graham told him, you ought to do it,"
But where could heget GRAMMAR There
was but one in the neighborhood, Mr.. Gra-
ham said, and that was six miles away.
Without waiting for further information,
says, "McClure's Magazine" the young
man walked Immediately to the place
borrowed this rare copy of Kirkham's Gram-
mar, and before night was deep in its mys-
teries. From that time for weeks. he gave
every moment of his leisure to mastering |
the contents of the book. Frequently he |
asked his friend Greene to "hold the
book" while he recited, and, when puzzled (
by point, he would consult Mr.. Graham. |
Lincoln's eagerneSs 10 learn was such that /
the whole peighborhood became interested.
The Greenes lent him books, the school,
master kept him in nind and helped him
as ne could, and even the village cooper let
him come into his shop and keep up a fire
of shayinss sufficiently bright to read by at
night. 1t was not long before the grammar
was mastered.
"Well," Lincoln said to Greene, "ifthat's
what they call science, I think I'll go at an
other"
He had made apother discovery shat he
could conquer things by sticking to them.
THE SRsRR on RETAILs.
George Stephenson, by careful study, by
noticing the defects of Others. and seeking
remedy; by careful attention to details,
when a less persevering man would have
been sure to fail, finally in 1918 produced Fl
steam engine Pulling Rillxs-thas was