The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-07-29
The Unfolding of the Present
BY 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. But when hope
degenerates into idle day dreaming,
1t is hope no longer. Tell me- how a
lad spends his lime and I will tell
you how much his plans for the fu-
ture are worth, for as a writer has
we'll sail, 1.-THE future is but the uI-
folding of the present"
Strength Of purpose is shown in
the grasping Of daily opportunities.
The school-room, the Office and work
shop, the most mental employment
presents advantages. By their ne
glect we are handicapping ourselves
for the days which are to come.
There is told a quaint story of a
lad who went to a nobleman's estate
in search of employment. He was
earnest of purpose and resolved that
whatever he was given to do should
be done to the best of his ability.
When he came in sight of the great
stone turrets of the castle his heart
began to beat more quickly, but he
trudged sturdily on and at last stood
face to face with the overseer Of the
estate who spoke to him roughly and
sent him to break stones on the high
way.
For a moment the boy faltered. II
had hoped to find a place in which
1 might grow and be fitted for. some
thing useful when I became a man."
he said to himself, "what can I learn
| breaking stones on the highway"
But he followed the overseer, al
though with a downcast heart, for he
remembered his resolve when he set
forth that morning.
Presently he found himself alone
on the broad road before a pile Of
stone, and plucking courage anew he
briskly began his task. The suns
rays grew fiercer and the breeze died
down until hardly a breath reached
his burning face, and still the lad
worked on all that day and the next
until his arm was numb and his back
stiff and lame with the unaccus-
toned labor.
The third morning he viewed the
scarcely diminished pile Of stone
with dissatisfaction. Il am not
doing my best" he thought. II
must discover some way to accom-
plish more" And that day he
worked slowly and thoughtfully, and
long before nightfall he had found
the secret.
"Who would have thought there
could be anything to learn at so
simple a task" laughed the lad, and
he began whistling cheerily. He did
not see q man watching him from
a hedgerow until he heard the ques-
ton:
why do you whistle so merry
over such a hard task?"
Because" was the reply, 81 have
learned to make 1t far easier and
yet accomplish more. The stone
does not need so heavy a blow of the
hammer to shatter it, If it is struck
in the right place." and he suited the
action to the word.
Then the nobleman, for it was he.
called his overseer. "Take this lad
from the highway" he commanded,
"and put him where he ear have the
best opportunities. He who can
learn something at a stone pile has
the making Of a prime minister"
The truth hidden in this story is
a 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 it 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 lowly places
of life who, If they were only dis
covered, would rise to places Of use
fulness.