Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-07-24
The Unfolding of the Present
by FLORENCE L. BUSH.

That young person Is aimless in
deed who has no ambition. who does
not earnestly hope he may be worthy
to hold some position OF honor and
trust in the future. DIT when hope
degenerates into idle day dreaming,
II is hope no longer. Tell me how a
lad spends his line and | will tell
you how much his plans for the fu-
ture are worth. for as a writer has
well sail. THE future is but the IN
folding Of the present"
Strength OF purpose is shown In
the grasping Of daily opportunities.
The school-room, the Office and work. a
shop. the most menial employment
presents advantages. BY their ne-h
glect we are handicapping ourselves,
for the days which are to come. II
There is told a quaint story of e
lad who went to a nobleman's estateh
in search Of employment. He waGt
earnest Of purpose and resolved thats
whatever he was given to do shoul6a,
be done to the best of his ability. ee
When be came In sight Of the create
stone turrets of the castle his hearov
began to beat more quickly. but hsui
trudged sturdily on and at last stooCV
face to face with the overseer OF th3
estate who spoke to him roughly an,ri,
sent him to break stones on the highsls
way. ov
For a moment the boy faltered. sid
had hoped to find a place in whicon
l might grow and be fitted for some A
thing useful when I became a man.
he said to himself, what can l leaI'H5,
breaking stones on the highway 2na
But he followed the oyerseer, awe
though with a downcast heart, for tpt
remembered his resolve when he seaI
forth that morning.
Presently he found himself aloiF
on the broad road before a pile
stone, and plucking courage anew l.,
briskly began his task. The sun
rays grew fiercer and the breeze die
down until hardly a breath reaeht
his burning face. and still the !;
worked on all that day and the ne
until his arm was numb and his baG
stilT and lame with the unaccu
toned labor.
The third morning he viewed tl-S
scarcely diminished pile Of stoT
with dissatisfaction Il am ns
doing my best" he thought.
must discover some way to accon
plish more" And that day /
worked slowly and thoughtfully. an
long before nightfall he had foun
the secret.
who would have thought thel
could be anything to learn at
simple a task laughed the lad. an
he began whistling cheeriIy. He dl
not see a man watching him froI
hedgerow until he 1eard the quea
tion.
why do you whistle so merr
over such a hard task?"
Because" was the reply, Il hav
learned to make 1t far easier an
yet accomplish more The storgf
does not need so heavy a blow of the
hammer to shatter it, if 1t is struck
in the right place. and he suited the
action to the word.
Then the nobieman. for 1t was he,
called his overseer. Take this lad
from the highway" he commanded.
''and put him where he can have the
best opportunities. He who can
learn something at stone pile has
the making of prime minister"
The truth hidden in this story is
valuable one. We cannot fail to
learn something at the humblest task
If It is performed in the right spirit.
and the future may prove 1t to be
one Of our most important and help
full lessons. We may cherish close
in our hearts a beautiful hope for
the years which are to come, but let
us not allow the days and hours to
slip heedlessly by. for they are the
gradual unfolding of the future
Many are there in the Iowly places
Of life who. II they we're only dis
covered, would rise to places OF use
futnpsa