Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-11-30

was not with him, for he had two
long hours to wait, and it was bitter
cold, and for some unaccountable rea-
son the station was locked.
A f1agman came to watch for pass
ing express train. Seeing the travel.
er's plight, the fiagman invited him
to come into his shack and warm
himself.
The flagman's home was a tiny
place, fitted out with the barest nee
essities, but, in varied contrast to the
surroundings, along one side of the
wall was a rough pine bookshelf con-
tanning we'll thumbed volumes of all
that the world holds greatest in liter
allure, philosophy and science.
After a short conversation the trav-
eler marvelled to find that the flag
man possessed a fund of knowledge
on most subjects, and of the classics
in particular, which would have put
many a college professor to blush.
"Why don't you leave this solitary
life of hardship and come to the town,
where with your learning you will
soon be one of the great lights ?"
asked the traveller, wondering at the
fiagman's lack of ambition Have
you no desire to better yourself?"
No., replied the other, Il am con.
tent with my lot. | have outdoor
work. indoor quiet with the compan-
ionship of my books; | make enough
to live on and | want nothing more
! should be out of place among your
city folk. My friends are here in the
village. What more should l want ?"
For hours the traveller argued with
the flagman, and his home-bound train
passed unheeded He was interested
in trying to save this great intellect
for the world, as he termed it, and
trying to awaken some spark of am
bition in the man, but the fagman re-
fused to be disconnected.
Are you satisfied with your posi-
ton in Iife-are you contented?" he
asked the traveller.
"Of course not, answered the trav-
eler. 81 should consider myself lack
ing in spirit if l were satisfied and
did not want to rise higher in life. l
shall never be contented until / reach
the top of the tree"
Then said the flagman, you are
not really thankful for the blessings
that you possess, but merely look up
on them as stepping-stones to other
things. l am grateful for what little
l have and am content to enjoy each
day as it comes. You go out into the
world, conquer it, and find your hap
piness in the anticipation of your sue
cess. Leave me to give thanks for
what | am enjoying now, while you
so and fight for what you want and
hope to enjoy later
So each man went his way.
The traveller in this incident is typi-
cal of the spirit of push and advance
ment which is almost universal in this
land of ours today.
A fine spirit it is, too, for it means
a chance for development for the race,
but it also includes the spirit of dis
content.
There is about us a perfect con-
tagion of dissatisfaction which is nee
essary to progress, but some of us
are running a fair risk of being
swamped in the discomfort and losing
the high aims that prompted it, all
because our aims and demands can
not be gratified at once.
There are few of us who, like the
fiagman, are content with our place
in life. Most of us are striving for
more blessings of one kind or another,
spiritual, mental and worldly.
Would that Thanksgiving were held
every day to remind us of the daily
blessings of which every one who