davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

about the same age and having the
same general capacity. They resolve
to enter civil service examination in
order to obtain a position with the
United States government. The first
one obtaining his papers glanced over
them casually and said to the other:
eff I don't get an average Of at
least 80 III eat my shirt. It's easy.'
The other, who was slow Of thought
and speech, and who acted like plod-
der, shook his head as he replied:
II hope I'll get thru. It's going to
take some hard study. It's been six
or seven years since [ felt school, and
I'm afraid that some of these things
are not fresh in my mind.'
They both entered the examination.
No. 1 made pitiful failure, while No
2 came out with an average of over
90. The man who knew it all forgot tc
put period in it's proper place, and
thereby lost point in the marking up
He misspelled several ordinary words
he bungled in his arithmetic, and wher
asked to give specimen Of his edu
cation in. grammar and English, pre-
sented the examiners with a slovenlJ
composition. The other man was eau
tious. He put the periods where they
belonged. He spelled ordinary words
correctly, and while not perfect on hi
arithmetic, showed care and intelli
gence.
The failure Of the young man in thi
civil service examination came from
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

small errand boy. The man was not
necessarily lazy, but he lacked ambl-
ton, and it was the lack Of ambition
that made the failure in that particular
store and business.
Nothing seems simpler OF more easily
learned than the position Of clerk in
a large department store. Any man
Of ordinary intelligence and ordinary
industry would seem competent to fill
that position. Yet there are failures
in that as well as in more pretentlous
positions. One case comes to mind. A
young man who had obtained posi-
ton of that kind thru the influence Of
friend would go home at night and
complain about his i'll success. The
friend took the trouble to inquire into
the cause of this. He discovered that
the clerk was constantly chewing gum,
that he read the newspapers while
women were vainly trying to be served.
He was constantly gossiping with his
fellow clerks; and when a customer
approached the counter the clerk
greeted him or her with a bored, tired
look. At the end Of the second week
it was necessary to reduce the force
Of employees in the department store
and this particular young man was
laid off. He grumbled, of course, and
didn't know why he should be selected
but every one else knew the reason. II
was clear case Of Incidence.
A good natured American who had
a keen idea of what the public needs
opened bakery, ice cream, and con
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

was voluntarily ss1ncompeLent, EaAu Ia
this age incompetence rarely succeeds
i. !. + ~. ...>.s..
Some men mean well enough; but
they do not exercise the faculty OF
thinking. A certain young man was
smitten with the idea Of writing a
novel. He forthwith purchased paper,
pens, and ink, and proceeded to do
30. In the course Of a few months he
had ground out a piece Of historical
fiction sufficient to make book Of
800 or 400 pages. He sent it to a pub
Usher. To his amazement it was re-
turned, with polite note Of rejection.
He was at loss to understand what
this meant, and took it to a friend who
had a deserved reputation as a critic.
The friend read the book and said that
the cause Of its rejection was self
evident. He told the man who was
ambitious to be novelist that his work
+ showed all the faults Of superficial
thought, and that it's haphazard style
was in itself sufficient to cause a re-
lection. The instant intelligent
thought, real feeling, or genuine com
prehension of the meaning Of the Eng
fish language was turned on the manu-
script its plan, Its details, and its phras
ing crumbledz like pound cake, or dis
solved into glucose-covered emptiness
Humanity had not been observed; con
ditions had not been studied. Ever
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

r. r UNDREDS Of thousands Of per-
sons are eagerly in search Of
- IL the secret Of success; but com
paratively few ever pause to consider
that If they learn the real causes of
failure they have already taken the
first step. on the highway to prosperity.
There is no one thing that can be
more profitable to a young man than
such a study. In making it, it is neces-
sary to consider all phases Of life. He
must consider the collapse of great
projects and the overthrow of small
Individual ambitions. Why did De
Lesseps fail in his mighty task of con-
structing the Panama canal7 Why did
Jones as salesman disappoint his en-
ployer7 What brought about the
dreadful failure of the Barring Broth
ers? Why did Brown meet with dis
aster as novelist7 What combination
of circumstances caused Cyrus Field to
fail in private business after he had
proved himself a public benefactor by
carrying to successful completion the
magnificent Atlantic cable9 All of
these things call for contemplation and
patient analysis.
Eveey failure, as well as every sue
cess, has it's logical explanation. There
is no illustration so convincing as al
illustration taken from real life, and
in order to make some Of these things
clear few instances taken at random
from this workaday world are presented
for the consideration Of the reader
Take first the case Of two young mer
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

fectionery store in one Of the western
cities. It so happened that the right
store had opened at the right time,
and in the right place. 1t was sue
cess from the start and profitable be-
yond the expectations Of its originator.
Three years afterwards he was sold
out by the sheriff. Such climax to
such a business surprised those who
were not intimately acquainted with
the man, but his associates could ex-
plain it quite easily. His sudden sue
cess went to his head. He discarded
his modest habits and began life OF
pleasure. Cigars at three for dollar
and unlimited champagne became daily
necessities. Expensive suppers were
quite the common thing. Of course he
could not play and work at the same
time. He neglected his business. he
kept taking money away from it, and
ceased to put his energy and brains
into it. The inevitable happened.
It would be well for those who meet
with failure to endeavor to make an
intelligent study of the causes of that
failure. Do not be too ready to blame
your failure on your environments, on
your associates, on your lack Of capital,
and, above all, do not attribute It to
bad luck. Seek the true cause. Find
out if it does not come about thru
lack of ambition, thru Incidence, thru
overconfidence, lack Of preparation, ev.
travagance, lack of knowledge, intern
perance, Incompetence, or tactlessness.
George Barton.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

the wage Garner Of tho family
emo matter how humble man may
be, or what employment he Is best fitted
to pursue in search Of livelihood, he
is, nevertheless, a member Of the great
national community, has duties and
privileges which he cannot neglect with
safety or ignore without danger to him
self and all who are connected with
him. The most important Of these du-
ties and privileges is self-preservation
against the encroachments OF his more
INSCRIPTIONS and greedy fellows in the
struggle for life, it's liberties, emolu-
ments and enjoyments; and these are at
the bottom Of all his personal social
conduct and constitute the balance of
our modern life.
"During the last forty years thou
sands of men Of mature years, strong
bodies, and clear brains have been
crowded out Of commercial, professional
and even manual activities by the en-
ployment Of cheaper labor, until many
of the most accomplished accountants,
bookkeepers, statesmen, correspondents,
stenogra piers, collectors, ETC., have
been driven to commonplace tasks fol
which they are not fitted either by tenn
permanent, education, association OF
training, and where they cannot earn
even a scant living.
s"Of all the distractions to a man Z
right to earn living the ban put upo1
labor by the 45-year age limit Is thu
cruelest, most obnoxious, and most alb
surd, and the main purpose of thi'
league will be the removal and per
manent Punishment Of that ban by sucl
means as will be found most effective
and permanent.
"This ban was born of the United
States army and navy by placing I
limit on the age at which a citize1
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05
Old Men Form League for Defense

may be admitted by voluntary enlist
ment or draft into those arms of serv-
Ice; more recently extended to the civil
DEPARTMENTS Of our national and state
governments, and still more recently
adopted by private corporations and
minor employers.
"a no less important work of tho
league will be to place before the ma
tional government the persistent ostra-
cism of the veterans Of the civil war
Of 1861 and the Spanish war of 1898,
in that they are refused the pursuit Of
their inalienable right to labor In all
the departments of our national govern
ment, in accordance with their mental
and physical equipment, irrespective OF
age.
"The league will not antagonize the
employment of women within the sphere.
of her sex or actual necessities, but IN
it's broadcast sense of justice will hold
that man possesses the inherent right
to be first considered the breadwinner
and head of the family.
"We invite all male citizens, espe-
cially those IS years old and over, to
join us in this holy crusade against
most unholy condition, condition that
is spreading with alarming rapidity.
Tho it may not concern you today, it
will surely envelop you in the near
future.
awe are already promised the moral
support and influence Of men Of ma
tional repute to extend this move
ment.'
The old men, cast out Of active life
almost before they are ready to con-
cede themselves middle aged, have seen
the necessity of organizing, and the
membership of the league is reportd
growing rapidly.
james F. Downey.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

sister In Chicago. Here was another
opportunity long passed by. Mrs. a..
O. Condor Of Penobscot, Me-, found her
opportunity in the knitting Of 'mittens.
Hundreds of women had failed to recog.
nize the opening SO long dormant within
this idea, .-....E, > al
+ ,,.-
Professor Benedict was teacher Of
Latin, but he knew how to recognize
opportunity at sight. The first click
Of typewriter spelled the magic word
for him and he found the manufacture
Of the useful writing machines much
more satisfactory than the schoolroom.
James F. Ryder, Cleveland pho
tographer, read one day in German
paper Of new process practlced by
Bohemian artists In the interests Of
fine photography. He Immediately sent
to Bohemia for skilled exponent Of
the art, applied it to his own: business,
and at once proved that he and his
opportunity had come together. How
many other photographers, also seeking
success, may, have read the German
paper with no further thought !
"The world is all gates, all oppor'
tunities to him Who will use them.'
says DR.. Orison SWEET Marden, close
student of men and their efforts, and
from whose recent book, "The Making
Of a Man, many Of the example:
herein quoted were drawn.
To recognize the true opportunity Of
the life when it comes, to have thu
courage and wit to seize It, this is tn
secret of success. ! IF. Coleman.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

0LD men and and men who are
threatening to get old have
- formed a league to fight the age
limit rules Of nation, states, and of
great corporations. Pleading for the
right Of every man over 45 years of
age to work and to earn his living,
the league has commenced systematic
campaign, a fight for the night Of old
men to exist.
The Anti-Age Limit league has been
formed in Chicago, and as rapidly as
possible branches will be established
in every citv in the United States. 1t
is. according to the announcements,
an association Of veterans Of the civil
and Spanish wars and other
citizens who have reached the pre-
scribed age limit, to maintain their
right of self-preservation by honorable
labor.
It is understood that in the perma-
nent headquarters Of the league, at
room 1912 Republic building, State and
Adams streets, in Chicago, there will be
bust Of Dr.. Osler-with the nose
twisted off.
James F. Downey and Ben Giroux,
veterans, are president and secretary
Of the league, and at the convention of
oldtimers and age limit men thrown
out of employment they will present
plans to secure equal rights for men
above As years Of age.
The announcement made by the
league sets forth boldly the objects OF
the organization. It declares:
:"Its primal object is to remove the
ban put upon wage earners by the crue
and Unnatural age limit. Its secondary
object is to assist men past this pro
scribed age limit Of As years to secure
employment and to emphasize man 8 IN
herent right to be first considered a.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

waiting for some ono. So did Ichabod
Washburn, blacksmith's apprentice,
learning that England had monopoly
Of the steel wire used in pianos, while
no good wire was then made in tho
United States, grasped the waiting op-
portunity with such skill that his 700
workmen finally turned GU twelve tons
Of good American wire each day.
Colonel William L. Strong, later head
Of great wooden house in Ohio, left
a salary Of $4,000 year to take one
Of $1,000. His later success proved
the opportunity he recognized Of regal
kind.
fTo seize upon an opportunity is Of
the utmost Importance Professor sar-
gent Of Harvard not long since de-
clared, "even tho the remuneration may
seem small and inadequate. It is not
to the value Of his services to which
a young man should look, but to the
opportunity offered.'
Years ago Professor Sargent seized
his own opportunity when, as a stu
dent, he gained footing in the gym
nasium Of Bowdoin college. he began
work at SO cents a day.
John Jacob Astor, Peter Cooper, Cor
nelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, P
D. Armour, Coils P. Huntington, these
with an endless list Of others, graspe6
opportunity by the forelock.
William Phipps, a colonial governor
Of Massachusetts, found his financial
opportunity in the careless converse
tion Of some sailors regarding a Span
ish ship, sunk off the Bahama islands
and supposed to have much money OF
board. Phipps, but boy, accomplishe'
what the sailors only talked about. TIL
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

and police officers for long time after.
If he has a confederate the danger is
greatly increased by possibilities Of the
pals capture and confession.
No one who has not experienced it
can conceive Of the horrible, nerve
racking, unintermitted strain that
man lives under who knows he is or
may be pursued. Then the arrest, trial,
conviction and imprisonment ex-
perience that is unimaginable to the IN
initiated and quite certain to come. It
is cold fact that the proportion Of
thieves Of all grades who escape detec-
tion for long is too small to be re-
garded as factor. The sharpest and
brightest men in the business fall
sooner or later into the laws clutches,
just as surely as any fact in nature.
No matter how careful may be their
precautions they some time will make
the betraying slip. There is no line Of
business SO unsafe as that Of stealing.
i. !. j.
"Once a criminal always criminal
is q police maxim. It is not true in
the sense they give it, but it is true
that the odium Of a conviction for any
form Of theft must be carried to the
grave. When a man, therefore, casts
aside his integrity and enters tho pro-
fession Of stealing, he has no chance
left for an honorable career, and while
he lives will be eyed askance by his
fellows. This cup of bitterness he
might as well drink with fortitude him
self; but when it is forced to the lips
Of his wife, his children, his sister, o.
his gray-haired mother, as it inevitably
must be, he has done that which forever
will rob him of peace and self-respect
his dearest possessions, and will darker
his every footstep toward the grave.
All this should be nicely reckoned be
fore the undertaking, for afterward /
will be too late. In letters I have rea
and words I have heard, there wer
expressed regrets too poignant to b
borne without intense suffering; and
have never known a thief or croo
who did not, after imprisonment, suffe
remorse too deep for words.
Having decided to assume the risk
some deluded men call it bein
"nervy,' until they learn better-th
next point for reflection is the effo1
involved, mental and physical. Prol
ably a hundred times ex-convicts hav
told me that the same effort expende
in their predatory labors, if legitimate
put forth, would have earned them a
honest living, without the nervous wes
and tear that Is inseparable from
business so full Of risks, surprises an
strains.
Thieves always are in bad healt
when cantured and often the be-
efforts of prison physidians fall 70 I
store them. They are found to be lac
ing In vigor and constitdtionally e
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

money afterward became his. John
Knight Of Guatemala City was an
Alabama slave in 1850. Later, wharf
laborer, he saw the opportunity offered
to fruit growers In Guatemala. Now
he is one Of the richest and most in
fluential mon in Central America. Many
others passed similar opportunities by.
+ + +
A clever Yankee, finding tho pine
toy whitfield out for his baby boy
popular with other children, recognized
the opportunity offered by particular
kind Of toy business that afterward
proved successful. A Massachusetts
soldier long ago watched bird hulling
rico and Invented hulling machine
that reyolutionized tho rice business Of
the country. Again, tho opportunity
had long awaited man with ability
to see and improve it. A successful
washing machine was invented by a
man the illness Of whose wife compelled
him to help her each Monday. Many
women had Ionged for household
assistant of this order for years.
Orinkled hairpins were invented by
a woman who recognized an opportunity
in the intrinsic disability Of the
straight hairpin to stay in place. Cola,
clasps, patent cuffholders, hair fasten
ers, belt stays, any number Of sim
ilarly useful contrivances have repre-
sented opportunities neglected by many
fortune bringers for tho one who knew
their worth.
A bright American woman once hat
piece Of swamp land Of no apparen
use. She raised frogs for the marke
and made money. A Kansas City CIR
started a remunerative bootblackinl
enterprise for women, as did a cleve
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05
Grasp the Idea If You Would Succeed
khTH HE secret of success in Hfe,'
said Disraeli, els for man
- Xo ha readv for hia oDnor-

GhT HE secret Of success in life,
said Disraei, els for a man
- to be ready for his oppor-
tunity when it comes. ,
Close study Of many successful men
and projects reveals the fact that most
successes are built upon timely recog-
milton Of an opportunity, frequently
Of an opportunity long existent but
never before recognized.
Opportunity" says the old pro-
verb, "knocks once at every man g
door,
Tho wit who added that when oppor-
tunity called most men were away
from homo simply meant that few men
recognize success opportunity when
1t appears.
Take the great heroes Of history,
finance, science-Linooln, Wellington,
Napoleon, George Stephenson, John D.
Rockefeller, George Childs, Thomas
Upton and scores and scores Of others.
What life chances had they that might
not have been embraced by many, or
that less astute strivers' might not
have found i'll arranged for successful
handling. The story Is the same as
regards countless brilliant financial
successes Of the day.
Pullman grew rich because he made
the most comfortable cars known tc
humanity. But how many other men
travelling in uncomfortable cars ha6
missed the opportunity he grasped
Marshall Field found his opportunity
IN bookkeeping. How many had passed
by the same opportunity, at the same
time, or failed to improve itF
Chauncey Jerome, maker Of the frs
brass clocks, seized an opportunity long
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

hausted. The prison regime will some.
times build them up temporarily and
specifically, but the rigid discipline,
dead monotony of surroundings and
daily life, brutal associations and all
those things that 60 with term in
prison, leave mark that never can be
eradicated.
Paradoxical as it may seem, "easy
money! that constant dream of the
thief, is the hardest money, and there
are more disappointments in its pur-
suit than in any other mode Of earning
living Old thieves have said that the
profits Of the business are exceedingly
small, and that the best professionals
do not thrive as well at it as men IN
honest occupation, especially when the
long-run view is taken.
cit does not pay to get crooked
money! an experienced crook who has
never been in prison told me recently;
"such money never does anyone any
good. A successful job is always offset
by dozen bad ones, and if man
is fool enough to steal he Is too fool
ish to know how to act when he has
money in his clothes.' .zs.
L
seldom happens when job Is pulled OF
that much cash is taken. If there is
the ensuing vigorous Investigation by
detectives requires it's rapid expendi-
ture in avoiding capture. When the
loot consists Of valuables the thief rs-
allies but little from 1t because he must
find a market thru the agency of
"fences," the most rapacious birds OF
prev on earth. These "fences,' or
merchants in stolen property, are like
wise extremely dangerous thru their
liability to "tip OFF, the thief to
the police.
And when money is in hand tho crook
. can never hold it. "Easy come, easy
/ go,'' is the law of money the world
l over. Even if he does not drink or
Q gamble the possessor Of cash obtained
9 outside the law will invariably find
I way for it's dissipation, and these meth
< DDS Of paying it out often lead to his
r detection when he least suspects that
hawk-eyed officers are observing him.
!. + !. -..
9 It does not pay to steal. Those who
t venture into such course find the life
J. hard and healthbreakAg. The risks
9 Of personal injury and Of capture fan
d outweigh the probabilities Of success
y Considered purely from the side OF bust
n ness, crookedness is bad proposition
r The gentlemanly and prosperous Raffe'
a of fiction is an absolute impossibility II
d real life; and even those who manipu
late vast enterprises on the edges Of tn.
h law with apparent success and respecta
It bility are likely to find their cardhouse.
G. tunblin9 about their cars, upset B.
K some federal grand jury or keen-scente'
< writer. R. B. Oglesbee.