Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-01
A CONTRAST IN BOYS
TOWN AND COUNTRY LADS IN THE
STRUGGLE OF LIFE.

Great Prominence In Public Affairs
the Rural Boys Are mt Least Twen-
~ to one over the City Lads.
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 n city boy has to
contend with are the opportunities
which beset him when young and pur-
sue him till he begins the real business
of life, 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 place where great things are hap
pening day by day. he sees the world
with cynic's eyes and despises the
small things which, like the bricks in
a house, go 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 it contributes to physical de
velopment 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 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 n long and
steady pull is required. The thorough
bred race horse has n fine flight of
speed and canters with delightful
lightness and grace along the park
bride paths. but the heavy work is the
work 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 of
life. The country boy whose ambi-
ton has taken him to town comes
flied with enthusiasms. 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
g.ft -.
glad of everything good that comes
his way. At thirty, if he leads clean
life, he has more of the boy in him
than his city cousin has left at fifteen.
He does what is before him because it
is his duty, while the other is apt
cynically 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 our
affairs of state the country boys are ut
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.
and the great bank presidents today in
the great cities nearly all learned to
read and to cipher i'm country schools
where birch and ferule had not sue
cumbed to the civilizing Influences of
scientific pedagogy. Our great rail-
ways were in the main built by them,
and today the administrators of these
great companies are in great measure
from farms and country villages. from
places who're svork began in early in
fancy and az Sepse of duty developed
while. still the lisp of childhood lin
gered.
Some city boys. however. are of such
sturdy stuff and endowed with such
natural gifts that they succeed by rea-
son of their inherent superiority. 9th
ers succeed abundantly because they
have used their opportunities wisely
and in real life have pursued the same
course which enables so many country
boys to win fame and fortune. The
more honor to them for having sur
vived their too great opportunities.
But the country boy when he comes to
town reaches out for the high places. |
Though not all find seats of the
mighty, nearly all of the exalted sta
lions are filed in the end by men of
country birth and country rearing. for
they usually start out with the sound
theory that what is worth having is
worth striving for.-John Gilmer Speed |
in Brandur Magazine.