Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-10-24
COUNTRY BOYS RISE.
WHYTHEY EXCEL LADS BROUGHT
UP IN THE CITY.

WHY HEY E<C6L IAOO 0nS0aTit
UP IN THE CITY.
ment for Serious Struggle of Life
The Town-Bred Boy Is Likely to
Early Become B1ase.
+ A country boys lack of opportunity is
his best equipment for the serious
struggle of life. This sounds paradox
cal. but it is true 1t is just as true as
the opposite proposition, that the great
est hindrances city boy has to contend
with are the opportunities which beset
him when young and pursue him till he
begins the real business of life-a busi-
ness which each individual must carry
on for himself For the city boy every
thing is made as easy as possible. Even
pleasure becomes to him an old story
before he is out of his teens. Brought
up in the feverish rush of place where
great things are happening day by
day, he sees the world with cynic's
eyes and despises the small things
which, like the bricks in house, go to
the upbuilding Of characters and
careers. He believes in using large
markers in the game Of life; for pennies
and small units of value he has little
taste and scant regard. :
The conditions surrounding the coun-
try boy are as different as possible.
There is a deal of regular work that
every country boy must do, and this
regularity of employment, mostly out OF
doors, incu1cates Industrious habits,
while it contributes to a physical de-
velopment which in after years is just
as valuable as any athletic training that
can be had. He cannot run as fast, per-
haps, as those trained by a system; he
may not be able to jump so high or so
far, or excel in any of the sports upon
which we bestow so much time and from
which we get so much of pleasure, but
his development enables him to buckle
down to the hard work in which hours
are consumed, and from which very lit
tie or no immediate pleasure is extract
ed. His strength may be something
like that of the cart horse, but the cart
horse is to be preferred where long
and steady pull is required. The thor.
oughbred racehorse has fine flight OF
speed and canters with delightful light
ness and grace along the park bride
paths, but the heavy work Is the WORE
most in demand, and for that we want
the draft animals every time.
Enthusiasm Is the spur to endeavor
and at the same time it Is the SAVIOR o1
life. The country boy whose ambition
has taken him to town comes filled VIII
. enthusiasms. Even the little things are
= novelties to him, and as he accom-
, plishes this and that he feels that he |:
doing something not only interesting
, but valuable. His simple tastes have
J not been spoiled by multiplicity o
: qualifications, and so he is glad Of .ev
. erything good that comes his way. A
thirty, If he leads a clean life, he hal
more Of the boy in him than his cit.
cousin has left at fifteen. He doe
what is before him because 1t is hi
duty, while the other is too apt cynical
ly to question the value Of doing any
thing and ask, 'What is the use?"
OF the men who have achieved grea
: prominence and high Influence In ou
> affairs of state the country boys are
least twenty to one over the city lads
Nowadays, indeed, our cynical city lad
1 look upon men who take an active inter
: est in public affairs as rather low fellow
e and quite beneath their association
and notice. But the country boys ar
at the top in other lines of endeavoI
In finance they are pre-eminent, and tn
great bank presidents Of to-day In tn
!. . great cities nearly all learned to rea
and to cipher in country schools wher
> birch and ferule had not succumbed t
- the civilizing influences of sciehtifi
>. pedagogy. Our great railways were 1
the main built by them, and to-day tn
administrators of these great compar
les are in great measure from farm
and country villages, from places wher
- work began in early infancy, and
- sense Of duty developed while still th
lisp of childhood fingered.
Some city boys, however, are of sue
o sturdy stuff, and endowed with sue
h natural gifts, that they succeed by res
4 son of their inherent superiority; other
Ia succeed abundantly because they haV
O used their opportunities wisely, and
a real life have pursued the same cours
Ia which enables so many country boy
r. to win fame and fortune. The MOI
honor to them for having survived the
Is too great opportunities. But the cou1
II try boy when he comes to town reache
~ out for the high places; though not
,r find seats of the mighty, nearly all {
10 the exalted stations are filed In the en-
v by men of country birth and countr
It rearing, for they usually start out wit
the sound theory that what Is wort
II having is worth striving for.-John G1
b mer Speed, in Brandur Magazine.
er
Is YOUTH AND GRABBED OLD AGt
If
20 Young Men Who Would Not A11o
Themselves to Be Sque1ched.