The Washington herald., 1908-06-16
ON FACING THE WORLD.
By THE OPTINIIsr.

What an inspiration there is In these
graduation days and the thought OF the
young fellows laying down their books,
filling their sturdy lungs with the breath
OF freedom. feeling the first settling
down OF the burden of responsibility and
going out TO face the world
How beautiful is youth How bright it CLEANS
With lis illusions aspirations dreams
Book Of Beginnings. Story without End.
! Each maid heroine and each man a friend
! But this is an age OF busy-ness, and
there Is scanter time for dreaming than
there was once. The cry in the world
Just now is all for young men. and these
| freshly graduated students, there are a
thousand inches for them to ill II they
but find them and fill them worthily. Nor
Is there any too much time for the
youth OF to-day to think about each
maid a heroine" though that Is the best
way 70 think OF them-if at all There is
so much work 10 be done and the time
is so short in which to do II that It takes
the best OF a young mans mind 20 COM
prehend the opportunities that will lie
all about him.
Most young men coming into the world
fresh from their campus horizon will be
filled with rather stalwart opinions which
daily contact with the larger life will do
much to dlssipate. But because they are
sure 70 find out that many Of the opln-
ions gathered from th@ books will not
square with the facts OF workaday ex-
perience. there is no call 70 be ashamed
or abashed. The process which they
have 70 go through is the common lot OF
all. We have all had It. There is not
one OF US that has not felt the keen pain
OF lost illusions
| But when the young man loses an IL
lusion let him not despond or Jump fran
tically at the conclusion that because
this or that golden idol proves to have
/ feet or clay, that all IS wrong with the
world! II Is not. II Is a mighty good
world to strive in and 10 strive for and
/ there is work 70 do.
/ And I would commend 10 the yOungster
just facing the world Stevenson's fine
advice:
4 Let him voyage. speculate. see all that he can.
do al that ne may, his soul has az many lives as
cat he VIII live IN all weather. and never be
a hatpenuy the worse Those who 60 TO the
] 0tfu ~ ENllls Win arNthlug IKE a taU cnance.
were probably little worth saving from the nrst
they must have been feeble fellOws-creatures made
| Of putty and pack-thread without steel OF fire Or
true 1oyfulness IN their composition; may sym
pathize with their parents. but there is not much
cause % 81 into mourning for themselves, for 20
! be quite honest the weak brother Is the worst Of
mankind.
/ That Stevenson was right the world
Will soon convince the young man facing
| the world He will soon learn that for
the idler and the weakling the world
has nothing but contempt. II Is for hot
/ headed youth 10 realize to-day that there
are world problems waiting for him 70
solve There are cities 10 be builded;
new paths 20 be blazoned. and the world
I Is tlp-toe. expectantly waiting the brave.
willing. well-educated. and ambitious
youth All youth!
All possibilities are IN is hands
! No danger daunts Il. and foe Withsiands:
Ia lis sublime audacty q faith.
| BE thou removed Il 10 The mountain saith
I And with ambitious feet. secure and proud.
/ Ascends the ladder leaning on the cloud!