The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-09-26

Saint Gaudens; in writing the poetry of
Longfellow or the essays of an
Emerson; in the painting of Rem
brandt or Rubens; in the compositions
Of Mozart or Verdi; in the inven-
tions of Morse or an Edison; in the |
craftsmanship of Webster or Clay; I
IN the preaching of Moody or Beech
or, or in the victories of a Washington
or Grant. The achievements of the
foregoing men were the result of indus
triOus work and not luck.
Ali the failures and sins Of life are
generally attributed to ones bad luck
while on the other hand, luck receives
credit for our successes. This is wrong.
When ignorance can enter the forum
and talk with the eloquence Of Web
ster; when fishmonger can win vic
tories on the battlefield; when honest
laboring men go begging while men of
no account receive the fruits thereof,
then we shall believe that luck amounts
to something. Until this comes to pass
we shall believe that luck is fools
dream.
What part does luck play in the con-
struction of mammoth battleship?
None whatever. From the time the
keel is laid until the ship is put in COM
mission, every move is made along
scientific lines. The same is true with
the pr0spector who goes in quest of
gold. If the surface outcroppings con-
tain signs of the yellow metal, he pro-
ceeds along scientific lines to develop
the mine. However, the moment he
strikes rich vein, it is called a lucky
find. How absurd! We might just as
well say that farmer made q lucky
find, who. on planting an acre of pota-
toes, found them where he expected
they should be. If the prospector had
uncovered a diamond mine where every
indication caused him to expect gold,
it could then be considered lucky; and
if the farmer had discovered gold in
stead of the plebeian potato he went
; after for his MONDAY meal, he might
be considered as being born under a
lucky star.
We are prone to marvel at the success
which attends some men, their intense
popularity, aud the big majorities they
, gain when running for some Office, and
attribute it to luck. When we examine
these men at close range we find that
their popularity is due to something
more tangible than luck. Personal mag.
netlsm, genial disposition, good
. mixer, and a broad federation for the
!. feelings of others are the chief charac
teristics which have made them popu
! lar.
!: 1t is true that ability is~of first i'm
! portance, but never luck. The mar
who waits on luck to better his posi-
tion, to fill his pocketbook with doubl'
eagles, to elect him to some remunera
tive Office, has q long time to wait
Home, fortune, and fame are gainet
by labor-not by the indefinable thini
q we cali luck.
There is an old proverb that says: 81
. is as we'll to be born lucky as rich.
: For my part would rather accept rich
! es and bid luck begone. Supposing tn
captains Of the many Atlantic liner
plying between this country and Eu
. rope were to throw overheard thei
: compasses and depend on luck to reacl
! their port, would they succeed? Wei
- hardly.
"a What is this mysterious thing we cal
y EluckY Has it ever been defined
+ What part does it play in our lives
Or is it one of those thoughtless ez
"a pressions we give utterance to in a f
N of joy or despairp Who can say trul
n that they have been benefited thr
ID luck? If a young man is disgustingl
70 rich, has kind father and an indu
n, gent mother, moves in the best circle
of society and is respected as gentle
st man, why is he referred to as luck
sy dogP Surely it is not an uncommo
le thing for q young man to be the POI
IN SCISSOR of these attributes. Ii this youn
y, man is good Christian he gives thanh
e. to the Almighty for the many blessing
re conferred upon him; If he is an unb
~ lever, however, he is likely to attribul
ID. his good fortune to that unfathomab
On thing we fiippantly call luck. In bib
in cal times persons referred to any I