The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-01-05

"ExcELsIoR" Is OUR MOTT
Eek, N. c., THURSD1
an active grief, but assume In your
mind a dull, gray background that
shall make the completed picture Of
your later life's work stand out more
clearly.
~
After all there is usually great deal
of conceit in those who persist in be-
ing down-hearted. Examine yourself
and see if it is not so. You sometimes
think that you have been singled out
for special affliction and misery. That
heart within you is deceptive above
all things and it would fain make you
think the whole world is yellow just
because your eye is jaundlced. Good
sense besiege thee, sad friend The
universe is not to be jolted out OF
joint just because you are out of step.
1t is self-centred conceit that makes
you think 1t so.
~
Scan the universe some clear night
and then reflect on the thousand
times ten thousand other creatures be-
sides you who have hearts that can
feel and needs that must be met. If
your tiny agony within does not begin
to shrink to its right proportions, you
have no imagination at all. What
business have you to be cuddling mis-
cry and asking to be> excused for max
ing the world better place to live in ?
While we live we serve, or we are un-
worthy to liye. While we selfshIy
and conceitedly mourn wasted chances
no good at all can We do.
-
Take courage and be sensible. Turn
your past irresoIution into purpose,
overcome some fatal weakness within,
by becoming so much interested in the
day you serve that you have no longer
any time to yield to the tyrant evil
you once worshipped. Not any two
of us walk the same path, so l cannot
tell you what you should do. The
first need is that you should have the
willing spirit-the way to serve will
open up. Fight against any backward
tendencies and you will prove yourself
to be that which you sometimes want
to be-a man of influence.
Real Culture-Culture of the head
alone is disastrous in it's effects. It
either makes man a mere scrap-bag
of odds and ends of knowledge, or
supefcilious cur who looks down on
the rest of us as Phllistines and out
casts, or it turns a man into a pom
derous nuisance who needs must ar
knowledge and awe listeners on every
possible occasion. You know all
three klnds-so do l. There is in my
memory at this moment the picture of
an awkward lout who by reason of col
lege education knows the most extra
ordinary details about languages,
ancient and modern, but cannot sue
ceed in doing anything higher than
write addresses for a pittance OF less
than So per week. That other sort of
fellow Is in every town, little more
bookish than his neighbors, by reason
perhaps of the short-sleeved father
who spoiled a man and made fool
when he denied himself to give the
lad crust of education. Since the
fatal day when the boy was led to
think of himself as little superior to
the plow-boys he lett behind, he has
made culture an offense to the nostrils
of those who have an infinitely better
quality than miles of book know
ledge-heart knowledge which goes so
much further than dead languages in
the storms and stress and trials of life.
The noisy, positive, disputatious char
acter who has read much, remembered
much, learned little is also familiar to
all of us. Real culture is of head and
the heart together. So that the learn
ed one has pity for those less favored,
energy for making the best OF his
mental outfit, and the strain of con-
sideration to him that characterized
old Benjamin Franklin, who won his
way by gentle courtesy and by diplo-
matte behavior towards those who diff
fered from him. Useless knowledge
furnishes DO table, conceited know
ledge makes no friends, overbearing
knowledge fallows no fields for future
cultivation. Real culture carries a