The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1906-12-13
SUCCESS NOT ALWAYS
TIE RESULT OF VIRTUE

u
meaning IS conveyed by the term
success IN one article a man who
SITTER fftsen years OF struggle has es-
fablished himself IN t,ss grocery bust-
ness Is given as an example OF sue
cess Ia another paper a man who has
worked UP from a messenger boy at
per week 80 foreman at as ,,Er
week = set forth as an example OF
vines may be achieved IN stfa 9th.
implied. II not actuaily ex<
pressed, that nothing short OF hank
president, railroad official or-m.ssson.
aire can be really considered success
5al. r his IS confusing to the young
man who wishes to know what the
world expects OF him. and TO what ne
must aspire ia order. to hope IL enter
the golden circle OF the successful
In the advice aud INTERVIEWS kindly
lavIshed by the men who have haen
successful. with capital S. il $h-
pear& that they always claim. ~
plicttiy or by implication, THAI ht
success IS due to their virtues. No1
e is morally certain that many 81
them owe their success to their fin-
norsi qualities 70 the TACT that they
: have byeTreached. brewbeaten or
ruined competitors, nelghbors and
even friends.
They set themselves upon pedes-
tai, however, and invite the pukfe
to believe tnat it is their virtues tAaf
have Seen rewarded BY en- apprec8a
tive fats with the crown OF wealth or
position These things confuse the
anEnstiated aud discourage those. who
lSn1w that they themselves deserve
some measure of success If virtue IS
20 be the criterion.
The fact is, the successful, in the
ordinary acceptance of the term, as
ually coaceal the essential point in
relating their experience. Some for
tuuate accident, some happy connec-
ton, or, perhaps, some act Of indlrec-
ton or unconsidered speculation. was
the key. and that point they do not
reveal; they would rather have It
believed that they did Il ell by delib-
erate. purpose. and by the exercise or s
table virsde aud superior
eTfgness
# You sill dig into the blographT
Of almost All weaNhy men you wit
End Rome such crisis at which thes
passed from the ranks OF wage earn
ers 10 the Class OF those to whom sue
cess opens wide its portals. In other
words there was some definite trans
action which lifted them oct of the
ranks and made them eligible 10
higher hoaers
- tsne Instance OF this kind hapbsei
In this way; A poor and idle. Sat
fatrly lntelligent. yo1ng man was
sksns precariops living on tb9
oUssRlrts os the real estate business
iEl,Minneapolis. His xirtaes were not
conspicuous and II success were cast
Ing about for some one upon 1i
sE1suEsork her magic spell she
~ have had TO seek thf xcinT
the races or the bal ~js-aTssr.
earned through his<real estate
Aection that lSse senEf-puhlic
on ito purchase a
tract near the city and was
lpen nego ttati 3ns with tho
Z man went to the rec
that thaNowner of The
widow Avipg In . small
Wa town. who had net seen her
.and fer over ffteen years He
poarded the tsain, wentto.the widow,
nformeSfe Ser that he wished to en-
area his farm aud would consider
= Ia king her forty-aere tract 81 SIS
Mould sell cheap. She finally signea
~ cont5 rot agreeing to deed the land
aBta. him for $300e The semi-public
corporation two months afterward
paid him sac ,000 for thas4raci and
tho man is now pointed 90 81 ere