Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-08-08

.rranm si,1:..d "a .ci by stories
uG ,..clt i...'.iHesS Men.
V,lat II no.sy 20 prl IS that of sue
cess ANA how IAaay self satisfied
er..ngo..s.s arc enlisted in its service!
Qumne. loc&s. pa.aphle;s and period
lcals overflow wi;h i,a catchwords, its
nal r!slis. It's modern instances. In
sl.cns u.d Offices. inspired by the prop
a.nnGa of this g,ittering lore, the
vonus mcn are brcOdmg. Bank clerks
i0in the American institute, diligently
read the Euilc;in ana procure instruc-
ton from the correspondence school III
oucst of this elusive. precious, capri
cious thng-succcss. The literary
hack ransacks the careers Of conspicu-
,us pcrsonages for the secret ana
method OF success. He finds the eXcep-
tional and striking incident, extracts
II from tie commonplace by which IL
,s surrounded and sets it In a dramatic
relief. The successful man is player
strutiing upon a stage. He moves TO
Il
iurcture he will exhibit supernatural
power of decision. Of preternatural
l;4Igmcnt of clairvOyant vision, of IT,
tanic industry, and thcnceforth his ul'
innate triumph becomes inevitable.
In other words, the successful man
az he is portrayed in current literature
is an optical illusion, Il chimera OF the
literary faddist. But all of us, unless
we are poor trash indeed, have mo
mcnts Of unusual power acuteness ana
diligence. This Is the common lot. Nel
only few of us that share the com
mon lot are destined to accumulate
great wealth or achieve conspicuous
stations. Tie number of such stations
and the chances for such accunula
tions never did correspond, and never
Will 10 the number of energetic, am
bilious and capable men who are hope
ful Of achieving them. This unpalata
bic truth the literature of success alb
hOrs
The normal service of an able anC
faithful man has no place In the litera
ture of success. Why? Because sucl
a service has nothing picturesque aDou
tit Is too common; is wanting In The
melodramatic pitch. Besides, 1t Is 81
common. in fact, that we may identif!
If with countless individuals whos'
achievements. measured 10y these lime
light standards. are Of no accoun
Whatsoever. The successful man ha
never made n mistake, never taken
! drink. never missed Il cue, never told
lie. is never weary. plans and plots in
ceSSantly. and probably never sleeps a
all, And above all things he always
reaches the top and invariably pos
scsses a heavy bank account. Th'
greater this bank account the NOR
wonderful the business and profession
nj power of this astonishing individual
seems to be. He is always more faith
full. more vigilant. more industrious
more efficient. than other men. Bu
this confuseS the issue and debase
the standard Of success. Browning
said that the emphasis of success
should be laid upon cndeavor.
The man who Is true to himself
faithful TO the trust repOsed in him
employing his resources to the fullest
allowing for human endurance as wei
as weakness. is Il successful man. HI
material reward may be modest, bu
he is doing Il part of the indispensable
work of the world. doing it steadily ant
well. Is not this also success and sue
cess of high order? TO the litcrar
pcrverts WHO write pithy ard snapp
articles on how success is achieved il
this dull world such Il man is mer
cumlcrer Of the ground. Becaus
some one stands higher, this man !
held to be outclassed and outqualilicd
lie is simply not in tie race.-AmeI
lean Banker.