The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-05-17

to read and taught himself with
spelling book, and the Bible was BIZ
only reading book. He had a desir,
to learn that nothing could subdue
What Is this called?
COntentment that is satisfied will
mediocrity and insignificant result.
ceases to be a virtue and becomes
1aulf. Good enough never makes
real progress and often degenerates
into shiftlessness. One should aim al
perfection. One needs a little discon.
tent to spur him on. The habit OF
mind that seeks to excel is called am.
bition. 1t is right to be contented with
what we have, but not with what we
are.
It is a worthy ambition to work hard
for a comfortable home. Even am.
bition to be rich is worthy, but 1t must
be remembered that riches may be
purchased at too dear a price.
Everybody should have the ambi.
ton to do well whatever he does. at
play as we'll as at work, but above all
1t should be his ambition to do the best
things. Every should cultivate an
ambition to excel-a passion for per-
6ection.
A boy used to crush flowers to get
their color and painted the white side
of his fathers cottage with all sorts
Of pictures. He became the great art
list Titan.
An old painter watched a little fell
low who amused himself making draw
1ngs of his pot and brushes, easel and
stool, and said, THAT boy will excel
me some day" And he did, for it was
Michelangelo.
A German boy was reading a delight
fully thrilling novel. Right in the
midst of it he stopped and said to him.
self: "Now, this will never do. have
work to do in real life" And he flung
the book into the river. That boy was
Fchte, the great German philosopher.
No one can afford to do less than his
best. respiration is inspiration" Am
bit1on to excel, however. defeats its
W purpose if it leads to the employ
ment Of unworthy means. Ambition
Is neither a virtue nor a vice, although
1t may easily become one. 1t derives
whatever moral quality it possesses
from its object and from the means
employed in its attainment.
/ The world admires the ambition to
"get on" in the world and to help 9th.
ers to "get on" in 1t. The highest an.
6itiop is TO achieve something for the
benefit Of ones fellow man.
Ambition excites enthusiasm, which
Is the compelling power that over
comes all obstacles. Enthusiasm en-
.ables one to do the work that his
heart desires. 1t brooks no inter-
ference with the accomplishment of its
object. What matter that young Benja-
men West had neither pigment nor
brush! He made color from indigo
and brushes from the cats hair.
Sumner says, "Have ambition to be
remembered, not as q great lawyer,
doctor, merchant or scholar, but as q
great man-every inch a king" The
people with high ideals are the adj
vance guard Of humanity. They cut the
smooth road owe which march fu-
ture generations. Whipping and scold-
Ing only made Ole Bull more devoted
to his violin.
Benjamin West was asked how he
attained such excellence. He replied,
by observing one simple rule-to
make each picture the best"
Practice.-Upon the mex piece of
work or duty you are called upon to
perform determine to do it perfectly;
do 1t better than any one else could.
Literature.
I cannot in this valley stay.
The great horizons stretch away.
The airy cliffs that wall me round
Are ladders unto higher ground.
TO rest. to work, for each a time,
toll but I must also climb.
Lucy Larcom.
We build the ladder by which we rise
from loWly earth to the vaulted skies
AND mount to the summit round by round.
j. G. Holland.
All, the key Of our life. that passes all
wards. opens all locks,
II not ! will, but I must, I must, I must,
and I DO 1t.
-. H. Clough.
Be thou contented with thy lot in earthly
things,
But be forever seeking after angels wings
james T.. White.
There is nothing noble in being su-
per1or to some other man. The true
nobility Is in being superior to your
previous self.-Hindu Saying.
An aspiration is a Joy forever, a pos
session as solid as a landed estate
Robert Louis Stevenson.
Tho chief want In life is somebody
Who shall make us do the best we can. |
Emerson.