The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-01
The Habit Of Selling Opportunities

fact that. as the Latins say, If suffered
to escape, not even Jupiter himself
can catch her again
A more correct Characterization has
rarely been conceived--for. truly OPP
portunit yis hard to recognize, is soon
gone, even az the dews from the
morning meadows. ere we can fully
catch their beauty. and, once gone.
lie gone unreturning away-all our
vain cries and strenuous struggles to
seize her after she has passed receive
only the mocking reply of her deeting
form. would cry aloud to you today,
while you are still in the full blast OF
manhood and the invincible strength
Of hope.
The golden opportunity
Is never offered twice: seize, then, tbs
hour
When fortune smiles and duty points
tho WY,
Nor shrink aside to 'scape the specter
fear,
Nor pause tho pleasure bcckon from
her bower,
But bravely bear thee onward on the
goal"
Youth Ia the age Of opportunity ana
development. 1t Is then or never that
ing opportunities. We raay neglect to
seize the smaller opportunities that
come to us and thus be unprepared
to take the larger ones when they
come; or, on the other hand, we may
so train ourselves by Selling every
chance that Is thrown in our way that
we shall form the habit OF never let
ting an opportunity pass un.mproved.
This latter habit makes q man 4
grand success: the former makes him
an ignoble failure. Choose this day
which habit shall be yours.
When youth has passed-and. verify.
1t fingers not long with us--we must
begin to bear our parts in tho strug-
gle of life--for life Is a soldiers bat
tie. In that feeting and precious time
that now Is on us. I implore you'll
plead with you-I beg you--seize the
chance and make this good thing
yours!
There is today no finer outlook for
any OF the youth Of the world than
for the Southern youth. There In
spread out before him the broadest
OF fields for fulfillment of noble en-
deavors. Nor are incentives wanting
to him for the persevering prosecu-
ton OF hts lofty aspirations AZ has
been 10 eloquently shown by many a
noble deliverance from platform and
- O~c va sAS AASAAeNeS ~ 6outhCAh
Youth"
We are called upon by our leaders,
ana Justly SO, to cherish with high
veneration and grateful recollection
the memory Of our fathers And sure
ly no nation or section had ever less
occasion to be ashamed OF Its ances-
try, or more occasion for graduation
in that respect: for. while most ma
lions trace their origins to barbarians,
the foundation Of our nation was laid
by civilized men, and under the aus
pices OF the Christian religion MANY
Of them were men of distinguished
families, Of powerful talents. OF great
learning. and of e-eminent wisdom:
OF decision Of character, and Of most
inflexible integrity.
THE memory of our fathers should
be the watchword of liberty through
out the land; for the world has never
before seen their like: nor win IL
soon. We fear, behold their like again.
Such models Of moral excellence.
such apostles Of civil and religious
liberty, such shades Of the illustrious
dead. looking down upon their de-
scendants with appreciation or reproof.
according ~ they follow or depart
from the good way, constitute. Q CEN
syrsfurs -tnfsr4ur only 70 ttiizs-eyww--
God!