The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-29
Incidents and Observations.
THE FATAL PERSPECTIVE.
BY r. l.. GRAY

1t is sad thing that the traits in
a man that are the most lovable to
his fellows are most frequently damn
ing to himself. For no matter how
far he may postpone the day, there
comes to every man the time when he
is forced TO see the worth of his Life
in it's succeSS-and success means ac-
QUESTION whether it be of money or
other things. And the man that is
acquisitive is rarely lovable. Hence
there comes the pathetic circle of
reasoning ending in a failure either at
one pole or the other For the man who
makes success is apt to pay for con-
centrated acumen with general stupi-
dity: and the man who distributes
himself or his time to his friends,
warming their hearts and his own
with his personality for a time. in the
end pays for his value to the pleasure
Of his world at the cost of his own
accomplishment.
| believe it to be true that the
man who in the long run makes the
most of himself and does the most by
his posterity is he who lacks what
has been strangely called the saving
grace" of humour. Such an one is
naturally seIf-centred and therefore
self-able. a med ocrity does things
that a man gasps at in amazement. 1t
is because he is set apart from his
fellows, or rather he is one of his fell
lows, by virtue of a valuable self-con-
sciouSneSs. There is no asset like a
seriousness impervious to humour.
One of the mass, the faculty OF plac-
ing complacent and non-introspective
eyes on ones self and ones doings,
finally brings the man who Is all-ln-
all to himself to the notice of the
world. People wake up and find that
such and such a man "has arrived
He commences to buy toWn-lotS;
hence forth he is a parsonage. He
propounds dicta that are old as the
hills. and porous with error; the
world that would hoot the same thing
from another, appiauds to the echo.
The man In his stupidity believes in
the correctness of his own notions.
unable as he may be to support them.
And almost with the force of hyp-
note influence he carries his point
almost without an effort. We are ac-
customed to say of such and such q
man that he is "a power" that he
controls men" that he is deep" and
shrewd. AS a matter of fact he is
dangerous for the power that he has
achieved without seeking, and before
he knew it, because it has been given
hlm by a world that did not under
stand. Control men,. In the be-
ginning such an one has been unable
TO control himself in that he was as
natural as the beast of the field, grow
ing i'm the sunshine and hiding from
the rain to the one and unthinking
purpose of self-subsistence Whatever
its finalsvalue in the scheme of things
the selfishness that is unmixed with
doubling intellect is concretely the
grand prize.
/ have in mind a man who is as
deeply rooted to the first office of his
ambition as an oak set upon clay. l
remember the hoot of deriSion that
first arose when his ambition became
known. If perturbation touched his
soul he did not show it. Gradually
the boots sank in volume; it is hard
to hoot at deaf ears. Patiently the
man was incapable of making the race
against the numerous competitors that
he had. Equally evident it was that
he believed in his right to the place.
He took himself and his wants and
his rights with calm seriousness.
Almost as time went on one could see
the people stop, look and listen Here
was a disconcertment. Why was he
SO sure, what did he know? Gradu-
ally the boots settled into silence,
changed into whispers of approval.
The man went on urging himself and
his shadoUy rights to the honor that
he sought. He was profligate of plati-
tudes delivered with the air of Little
Jack Horner making the famous dis
coVery of his plum. II his progress
had not been SO evident, his assurance
would have been deliciously amusing.
AS it was it was of a disconcerting
quality of steadfasLness that hung per-
sistcntly to the skirt of attainment.
Long after those who had hooted had
capitillated to the point of knowing
vinkS and complimentary preface to
his maine as ''sly dog the man still
strove, as deaf to the fact of success
as he had been in the beginning to
defeat And he is working still with
the same sublime self-confidence He
is in the line of promotion, and he is
going TO go still higher. 1t is easy to
pick him as a coming man. And
when he has gone as high as reason
viii ldt him he will be in the last Of
flee as he has been for several years
III that which he now holds a first
class official, where a smarter man
might have gone smash. IL was the
taking of himself seriously uniuSti-
hable as was the procedure. that won
him his spurs. 1t is now the people
Who are serious: let it be hoped that
from the height of his own particular
Parnassus. this man of mental snug
ness may in somewise catch a vista
Of the world about his fair round
SHADOW on the SfOu1lu, SO Indt lntO
his earnest eyes may come flicker
Cf that humor which will most as
suredly be his .undoing if he gets it.
Else. / dare swear that he may go to
. point where even density will not
alone avail.
This lack of perspective was
tnoughtfulIy brought out in strong
descriptive article in current maga-
zine from special correspondent
who was an eyewitness of the opera
tions eliminating in the capture of
Port Arthur. Under the spell of ;llc