El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-01
To Win, Despite Handicaps
Being Handicapped by Circumstances
Often Is n Winning Force in
the Life Struggle.
Madison Peters
BY Madison G. IcterF

A Ii rich mems sons are not fools
q or spendthrifts. There are
L n heavier curses for children to
bear than a good start in the world, ~
through inherited wealth. The proverb
often holds good that those rich young
men who begin their fortunes where
their fathers leave off. generally leave
of where their fathers began. Accord
ing to the size Of the respective classes,
a far greater number of poor children
turn out bad than rich ones.
Poverty is often more of a misfortune
than a blessing. But this is not saying
that poor boys can do nothing, because
they have no one to help them. On the
contrary many OF the worlds greatest
benefactOrs and heroes were Graded
in loWly cottages and who buffeted the
pillows of fate, without dependence
save upon their own energies
No man, young or old, has right to
be discouraged on account OF adverse
circumstances. Every giant oak in the
forest was once contained in a little
acorn, and was kicked about by the
feet OF the passing swine.
Genius Graded in Poverty.
Genius has always rocked her biggest
children in the cradle Of poverty The
cottage has contributed more than the
castle to the making of manhood, the
country has given birth more great
men than the city and the University OF
Hard Knocks has graduated the best
scholars.
One of the winning forces in life
consists in being handicapped Call the
roll MOhammed, who changed the face
of empires was a driver of camels; Co
pernicus who introduced the modern
system of astronomy was the son OF
baker while kepler, equally famous,
was a waiter-bOy in a hotel; Stephen
son, inventor of the locomotive. was an
engine fireman and Watt perfectOr OF
the steam engine, was a maker Of math-
ematical Instruments Ben JOnson was
a bricklayer, Robert Burns was a COM
mon laborer; Livingston. the mission
airy was a weaver and cardinal WOlSey
the son of a butcher; HerSchel, the
great astronomer. played abOe in a
military band; Michael Farraday, the
son of a poor blacksmith, and appren-
ticed to a bOOk-binder, filled the world
with his fame as philosopher, eN-
ceiling his master, Humphrey DaVy,
in the art Of lucidly eXpOUnding the
most abstruse points in natural science
Americas greatest orators and most
versatile statesmen were poor boys
Daniel Webster when student at
Dartmouth, was so poor, that when
friend sent him a receipt to grease his
boots, he sent back the word, But my
boots need other dOctOring, they admit
water and even gravel stones while
Henry Clay, the mill boy of the
slashes," was so poor that his mother
could not send him to school, but con-
sciOUs of his OratOrical abilities he be-
gan to speak in a barn with only a
horse and a COW for an audience. John
Jacob AstOr beat furs for Hayman Levy
at a dollar a day. Cornelius Wander
biIt ferried his own boat across Staten
Island.
Necessity Of a Stimulus.
Necessity is the stimulus to indus
try. Don't dream of some Hercules
coming to give you a lift Let no Wis
ion haunt you of some one conveniently
dying and leaving you trifle of $780,
900 with which you can make mil
lion.
Beethoven said Of ROssini, that he
had the stuff in him to make q good
musician, if be had only been well
fIogged when a boy; he was spoiled
by the ease with which he composed
Many a man has been spoiled by the
ease with which he began life. Don't
stand with your hands in your packets.
looking for help. Stop dreaming about
getting a life" carry your own bur
den, and stand on your feet. You viii
never learn to swim by the use of
cOrks. bladders, and life preservers,
but by plunging cOurageously into the
wave and buffeting it.
Difficulties knit your muscles more
firmly; like wrestling with a superior,
it not only increases your own strength,
but teaches you the secret of your con-
queror's skill.