Charlevoix county herald., 1912-06-01
CALLS LIFE A FAILURE
ONE MAN THAT EVIDENTLY
cHERlsHEs NO ILLUSIONS.
Possibly tho Worlds Verdict Would
Be the Same as His Own, but
Many There BE Who Envy
Him Ills Record.

The following human document" n
placed at our disposal for what 1t may
be worth, declares the Chicago Rec
ord-Herald. We shall make no attempt
to pass Judgment upon 1t. preferring
to let our readers do that for them
selves.
II am probably q failure. DO not
hastily conclude that l need food or
clothes or Ihat may become future
ward of charity. have a little home
which has been paid for out Of my
earnings. have three children whom
I have managed to send through col,
lege, and | have been able to save
enough money to provide such things
as / shall need after my earning power
Is gone. But am probably failure.
Let It be understood that have
never willingly or knowingly wronged
any one; that have been a law-abid
ing citizen; that'I hays kept myself
free from debasing habits: that have
always endeavored to vote for the
good Of my country, of my state, and
of my city, rather than for the bene.
fit Of any man or party, and that |
have tried to keep my heart as clean
as IL 1t, like my face, were visible to
the world.
"I have no quarrel with people who
do not believe as l believe. ! ac-
knowledge that there may be things
/ which / do not understand, that a
thing Is not necessarily wrong because
I think 1t wrong, and that a thing is
not made right merely because I sup
pose It to be right It is probable.
however. that the people who fix our
standards Of success. the people who
are leaders in society the people In
authority. would, II my case were
brought to their notice, consider me a
failure. have not accumulated Q for
tune. have not caused my name to
become familiar to the public. Few
people consider my favor worth court
ing. II coin an epigram 1t is un-
noticed, owing to my obscurity, and
have never been guest Of honor.
81 believe am qualified to fill any
high position except that Of champion
heavyweight pugilist, but have never
been called upon to accept executive
responsibilities. l have in an obscure,
subordinate position done my work
skillfuliy and conscientiously, and l
have been permitted to remain In 1t
undisturbed.
81 have not the slightest doubt that
II because of some upheaval Of nature
or through some other extraordinary
agency I had been hurled out of my
little, unimportant corner into some
high place, l should have been able
to prove my fitness as an administra-
tive genius, master of strategy or a
transcendent organizer. But no up
heaval has occurred: I have waited
patiently for the reward which we are
assured must cone to him who does
well that which be has to do, and i
begin to see m% superiors cast furtive
glances at me and shake their heads,
and in fancy | hear them say:
Poor old chap! He Is a faithful
conscientious soul, but he has no tai.
ent. and In a little while he will have
outlived his usefulness.
$50 must write myself down fail
ure. II did not do SO the world
would do 50 for me. have not been
tried and found wanting. If that had
happened T should have no reason to
complain because the world has decid
ed that ! am unworthy. I have not
been tried at ALL. yet Judgment has
been passed upon me. That is my
grievance.
| = 1f,.t t.,-C.