The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-02-09
PERSISTENCE WINS IN THE END.

80
of that big o that so many folks are
so fond of starting opportunity with,
and everlastingly damage the import
ance of the word.
And he will stand up in their right
full place at the gateway to Success
two words that begin with letters that
are not so startling, but a good deal
straighter-"Plain Persistency."
The rest of mankind it COM
prehends-will rise up and call that
man blessed.
A lot of fellows-strung all along
the ages-have had sense enough not
to bother much about Opportunity.
And they have done remarkably
well.
Opportunity, at it's best, is elusive
and uncertain-very much like the
good thing" the shabby racetrack fol-
lower tries to persuade you to put
your money on at so to 1.
6O-to-1 shots do win occasionally
and Opportunity may sometimes make
a man. We don't bet on races, but If
we did, we'd back form and past per-
Torrance.
And we'd hit the bookie's roll heap
sight oftener, even if not for so much
at time.
We'd be way ahead of the long shot
man at the end of the season, though
he might pass me at some single meet.
Most of the money we'd get would
come from him-there are so many
of him, hanging around all the time,
There have been horses named Op-
portunity, but never a one named
Plain Persistency.
A man ouldn't-without making
himself out liar-name horse that
unless the horse had blood, and was
slayer.
Most racing men, somehow, are care
full about that little thing called
"honor''-cften, their word Is their
whole capital
So is our word our capital-pity we
don't all realize this, for if we did
we'd take better care of it.
But we're getting away from our
story. Il
Plain Persistency, you see-in his
class, of course-would simply have to
be winner, while there would be no
especial reason for expecting much of
Opportunity.
Same thing in human existence.
We have said that Opportunity may
sometimes make a man-were not
sure, though. Does it ever do more
than permit one to prove himself?
Plain Persistency has made thous-
ands of mems responsible for every
thing mundane that amounts to any.
; thing.
:, Think of a few minutes about the
NIeaning of Plain Persistency-don't
dismiss it with That's easy; it means
just sticking to it,
There's a lot back of "just sticking
to it, There's patience, and bravery,
and intensity of purpose, and inability
to recognize defeat, and the pride of
fair conquest-every human attribute
that's commendable
Great words, they are-Plain Per.
sfstency-and we began by talking
about these words being placed at the
gateway to Success! Why, they are
Success!
Suppose Alexander had begun to
tremble when he saw Bucephalus buck
b. and some muscular, agile young men
OF his acquaintance describe parabolas
In the air and make dents in the
). ground? Think you he'd have ever
made subjects of all the then known
peoples?
n Suppose Napoleon had been adverse
~ affected, when he entered the
"A French army, by the jibes at his small
II stature? Gould he have ever become
the Little Emperor"
&5 Suppose Grant, when he found he
couldn't manage country LANYARD
properly, had said ITS no use. I'm a
hi failure. Everything's against me.
iii quit trying" Would he have ever
had the first office in the gift of the
M ss$ American people, and been honored
by the nations?
Did Opportunity make Edison? Or
@ Westinghouse? Or Bell? or Marconi?
sOr any man you've ever known or
heard OF who counted creditablv and
big?
sss sa Not by a hatful.
Plain Persistency made .them-ev-
asery mothers son of them.
And it's doing as much every day
for Il ~ lot 1't. / more people--g going to do for
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