The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-10-25
WORKING FOR FAME

(ErO1n "dSnlGGton Hertliu.3
1t was hipling wha pictured the
When no man shall work for money
and no one shall work for fame,
But each for the Joy OF the working
We doubt very seriously whether
any man ever deliberately set out to
do any work. or indeed, any separate
action Just for the sake OF fame. For
the bright eyes Of danger. for money,
for the smile OF approval from loved
ones, for Case-these motives are tam
sihie. and n man might Well suffer for
any OF them, but fame
What is the end Of famef Ills but TO
A certain portion Of uncertain
Some liken it to climbing up a hill.
Whose summit. Ike all hills, is lost
in Vapor:
For this men write. speak, preach,
and heroes Kill,
And bards burn what they call their
midnight taper.
To nave, when the original is dust,
a name. . wretched picture. and
worse bust.
So wrote Lord Byron in a cynical
mood. who, in spite of his Wanting
and his frailties. yet did some worthy
work III the world, strove valiantiy for
a cause he believed to be just; strove
without thinking Of himself at all. and
certainly not at all of fame.
1t is difficult to conceive Of q man
giving up his lie in the hope of fame,
which, after all. is largely a matter Of
accidental circumstance, a trick OF
fortune, as Montague pointed out:
ITO what dc Caesar and Alex
nder owe the infinite grandeur of
their renWOn to to fortune? How
many men has she eliminated in
the beginning of their progress,
of whom We ave no knowledge,
who brought as much courage to
the work as they, if their adverse
hap had not carried them down
II the first sally OF their arms?
Among so many and so great dam
gers ! do not remember to nave
anywhere read that Caesar was
ever wounded; thousand have
fallen in less dangers than the
dangers than the least Of these
he went through. \ great many
brave actions must be expected to
be performed without witness, or
one that comes to some notice. A
man is not always at the top of a
breach OF the head Of an army in
the sight of his general, as upon
the PLATFORM. He is often sur
prLed between the hedge and the
Qllch he must run the hazard OF
his life against Il hen roost; he
must disiodge four raScally mus
keteerS out Of a barn; he must
prick out singly from his party as
necessity arises and meet adven-
lures alone
How clearly that sets forth what a
matter OF chance this thing Of win
ming fame is. Robert Louis Steven
son recalls the story of the four Brit
lsh marines who were left behind on
q desert island because there was no
more room in the boat, and some had
to be left hat others might be saved
They were soldiers. they said, and il
was their trade, their business to die.
and as their comrades pulled away.
the four marines stood upon the
beach and gave them q parting cheer
and cried God save the King"
1t is for that brave and lofty spirit
these soldiers showed that their name s
and their story have been handed
IN history and fame; but We NAV
be quite sure that when these privatas
gave their cheer and faced death with
e~quanirnity they had mighty little
thought or care hat we should he
writing about them today; nor wo,Id
1t have made death any less bitter to
them had they realized then that
their names were to be enrolled On
the list Of the worlds brave.
1t is true that certain Of our haroas
have declared that they stroya co.
anne Nelson at Trafalgar with -