Evening journal., 1902-10-22
TOWN AND COUNTY
LADS CONTRASTED
Rural Boys Have Attained
Greater Prominence in
= Public Affairs


A country boys lack of opportunity
is his best equipment for the serious
struggle of life. This sounds paradox
ical. but it is true. 1t is just as true
as the opposite proposition. that the
greatest hindrances city boy has to
contend with are the opportunities
which beset him when young and pur-
sue him till lie begins the real business
of life. a business which each individu-
al must carry on for himself. For the
city boy everything 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 a place where great things are hap
pening day by day. he sees the world
with a cynics eyes aud despises the
small things which, like the bricks in
a house, 80 to the upbuilding Of char
acters and careers. He believes in us
ing 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 deal of regular work that
every country boy must do, and this
regularity Of employment. mostly out
of doors, inculcates Industrious habits,
while 1t contributes TO a physical de-
yelopment which In after years is just
as valuable as any athletic training
that can be had. He cannot run as
fast perhaps as those trained by a sys-
ten. 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 en-
ables him to buckle down to the hard
work in which hours are consumed
and from which very little or no i'm
mediate pleasure is extracted. His
strength may be something like that
of the cart horse, but the cart horse
is to be preferred where a long and
steady pull is required. The thorough
bred race horse has a fine fight of
speed and canters with delightful
lightness and grace along the park
bride paths. but the heavy work is the
work most I'm 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 of
life. The country boy whose ambi-
ton has taken him to town comes
filed with enthuslasms. Even the lit.
tie things are novelties to him. and as
he accomplishes this and that he feels
that he is doing something not only
interesting. but valuable. His simple
tastes have not been spoiled by a null
tiplicity of qualifications, and so he is
glad Of everything good that comes
his way. At thirty, if he leads clean
life, he has more of the boy I'm him
than his city cousin has left at fifteen
He does what is before him because II
is his duty, while the other is APT
cynlcally to question the value of do
ing anything and ask, "What is the
use?"
OF the men who have achieved great
prominence and high influence in oul
affairs Of state the country boys are al
least twenty to one over the city lads
Nowadays indeed our cynical city lads
look upon men who take an active in
terest in public affairs as rather low
fellows and quite beneath their associ
alton and notice. But the country boys
are at the top in other lines Of endeav
or. In finance they are pre-eminent
land the great bank presidents today il
the great cities nearly all learned tC
read and to cipher in country schools
where birch and ferule had not sue
cumbed to the civilizlng influences o.
scientific pedagogy. Our great rail
ways were in the main built by them
land today the administrators Of thesl
great companies are in great measur
from farms and country villages. from
places where work began in early in
fancy and a sense of duty developed
while stlll the lisp Of childhood lin
gered.
Some city boys. however. are Of sucl
4 sturdy STUFF and endowed with sucl
natural gifts that they succeed by rea
son OF their inherent superiority. 9th
ers succeed abundantly because the.
have used their opportunities wisel.
and in real life have pursued the sam
course which enables so many countr
boys to WIN fame and fortune. Tn
more honor to them for having SUI
vived their too great opportunities
But the country boy when he comes t
town reaches out for the high places
| Though not all lind seats Of tn
mighty. nearly all Of the exalted sta
tions are filed in the end by men O
country birth and country rearing. 70
they usually start out with the SCUM
theory that what is worth having
worth striving for-John Gilmer Spec
in Braudur Magazine.