The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-03-24
What You
Aim For

All Should Aim High
In this Life.
Paper Read Before the ChautauQua Circle.
While glancing through the pages |
of a magazine recently I found myself |
with the following question::
"What is your object in life?" While
the question at the time was of little
interest to me, upon more careful con-
1 found it contained much
food for thought aud have consequent
ly maGe it the subject of this paper.
1t is almost mortal certainty that
few, if any, who have attained the age
of reason and are in possession of the
faculties with which nature has endow-
ed them, are not, or have not at some
time, become obsess ed by or striven to
attain some certain object in life. 1t
comes to us first in the form of a long
ing or desire for something we do not
posse ess. 1t has access to every home
and finds lodgment in every human
heart. 1t is the light of recompense
that brightens the path of the weary
toiler and finally reflects ray of hope
and satisfaction as it burns itself out
with the lamp of life.
One of the chief characteristics of man
is his individuality. Seldom will we
find that any two men will pursue the
same course or employ the same mea
to attain like objects of their am billions.
The field of human activities is large
one; the roads which lead to success are
many and still those who attain the
goal are amazingly few. Itmatters not
what sphere of life you adorn or what
your ambitions may be, you have only
to glance back over the course of time
to behold the countless number of fail
ures, wrecked hopes and shattered am
billions of those who have striven to
ontdistance their fellowman in the par
suit of like object in. life.
We dwell with fond admiration on
such man as Napoleon, as the search
light of history casts about him a halo
of glory and fame-such as seldom falls
to the lot of any one man. We follow
with keenest interest the evolution of
this military genius in the pursuit of
his object in life We view with pride
and perhaps with no little envy this
noted Empire builder at the height of
his fame. But although his glorious
deeds and unparalleled victories have
won him preeminent place in history
amt ng great men of the past, he died
no nearer the object of his ambition
than he was at the opening chapter OF
his life's history. Why? Because he
was ever guided by a selfish ambition
and his desire for vain glory knew nc
bounds. He considered not the rights
of others nor cultivated the goodwill o,
confidence of his fellowman without
which all efforts for perfect success il
this life are futile.
There are, it is true, men whose OBJ
jects in life are of less selfish and self
centering nature-men who would rath
er be remembered for a kindly deed OF
beautiful thought than for any acts Of
valor or glittering glory with which suci
accomplishments could clothe them.
/ While the figure of Wolfe has los
nothing in the lapse of time and TIT
hero of the Plains of Abraham will
ever be shining figure on the pages O
nations history, still, the most nobl,
trait in the character of that great maj
was not disclosed on the field of honor
It is said, "that not by deed alone i
man judged, but by every word that pro
ceedeth from the mouth of man." Thu
do the immortal words of Wolfe rails
him above those whose object is vail
; glory and endear him to the hearts o
allright-thinking men and women whel
he said he would rather be the auth0
of Gray's immortal Elegy than the her
of Quebec. For while he knew such
victory would crown him with undyin
glory he also knew the extent of suffer
ing and loss of life by which mean