Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1907-07-25
IN ALL AGES MERIT AND GEN
IUs HAVE FORCED THEIR
WAY TO THE FRONT RE.
GARDLEss OF THE
MANY OBSTACLES
IN THEIR WAY.
Aesop and Homer Poor and Servants
Working Under Great Disadvan-
tage- Columbus and Many
Others Had Hard Rows
to Hoe.

umns of the Kansas City Independent
and contains much Of interest. The
fact that many OF our great men had
to overcome great difficulties in their
paths that eventually led to the pin
nacle OF fame is an incentive to all to
do greater things.
Everywhere and In all ages-even
where the lines OF caste have been
most strictly drawn-merit and genius
have forced their way to the front
through all social obstacles, and in
spite Of humble birth and adverse cir
cumstances men Of forceful personal
ity have stamped themselves on the
history of the human race. Here are
some historic instances:
Aesop aud Homer, the most famous
OF the early Greek writer's, were, re-
spectively, II the stories told of them
are true, a hunchback slave and a
blind beggar.
Sir Richard Arkwrieht, inventor Of
the cotton spinning frame, was a
barger.
John Bunyon, author Of 1.-The PHI
grim's Progress, was a travelling tin
ker.
Robert Burns, Scotland's lyric poet,
was the son of poor nurseryman, and
was himself a small farmer and re-
venue officer.
Miguel de Cervantes, author OF
"Don Quixote, y was page and COM
mon soldier.
Christopher Columbus, dlscoverer of
the new world, was sailor, the son
Of a wool comber.
Oonfucius, the Chinese sage, was a
poor boy who began life as store
keeper.
Captain James Cook, the famous
English navigator, was the son of q
farm laborer.
Daniel Defoe, author OF Robinson
Crusoe," was the son of butcher.
Charles Dickens was a label sticker
In shoe blacking factory.
Michael Faraday, the famous chem
ist and physician, was iourneyman
bookbinder, the son of a blacksmith.
Benjamin Franklin was a journey
man printer, the son OF a tallow chan
dler.
Giuseppe Garibaldi, whom Italians
revere as their liberator, was the son
of sailor, and was at various times a
candlemaker and small farmer.
Ben Jonson, on whose grave In
Westminster Abbey Is the famous in
30 Rare Ben Jonson," was
a poor boy, the stepson Of bricklayer,
Edmund Kean, the celebrated TRACE
dian, was the son OF stage carpenter.
John Keats, author OF 'rEndymion, !"
was the son OF hostler.
Linnaeus, the great Swedish natur-
alist, was poor student who mended
his shoes with paper and often de-
pended on chance generosity for
meal.
Jean Francois Millet, painter Of
"The Angelus," was farm laborer,
the son of small farmer
Mohammed, founder OF a great re-
ligion, was shepherd and a soldier
In early life.
Thomas Moore, author Of the "Irish
Melodies, was the son of a country
grocer.
Napoleon was a penniless second
lieutenant In 1856; in 1904 he was
crowned an emperor.
Thomas Payne, author of 1.-THE
Rights of Man." was staymaker.
Samuel Richardson, one of the first
famous novelists, was a journeyman
printer, the son ofa carpenter.
William Shakespeare was the son
Of glover in little country town;
both his grandfathers we're husband
men.
George Stephenson, the inventor OF
the locomotive was the son OF a fire.
man at a acolliery and began life as his
fathers helper.
Terence. the Roman comic poet, was
slave.
Trajan, perhaps the greatest of all
Rome's emperors, was the son OF q
common soldier and began his career
in the ranks.
Virgil, whose "Aeneid" is the typi-
cal Latin epic, was the son OF a small
farmer.
James Watt, inventor of the con-
densing steam engine, was the son OF
a small merchant who failed in busl-
mass