The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-09-25
City Boy Often Meets With
Obstacles
BY Joseph Lee
BY Joseph Lee

President Eliot says that city BOYS
in college average better in physique
than country boys, and | suppose the
same comparison would hold good be
tween poor city boys and country
how as poor as Lincoln was. He be-
came. 1t is true, great wrestler. And
it may be that wrestling with hog
and hominy diet from earliest child
hood-like the infant Hercules strang-
ling the twin serpents- may have
contributed to such attainment. But
If so the environment was favorable
only as any obstacle Is favorable to
the strong. Lincoln was stronger
than the hog.
As for moral surroundings, ! doubt
If there is very much to choose so far
as temptation is concerned. | am not
a great believer in the peculiar WICK
edness of cities. | have sneaking
impression that the enemy OF man
kind has country, as we'll as city
residence-he could not even dodge
his taxes if he had not. And even
when on vacation ! doubt if he lets
any business opportunities go by.
But in one matter Lincoln's chance
was much better than the city boys.
He had real things to do. There were
household chores and farm work;
things that had to be done, that were
sometimes hard to do and that must
often have required the meeting OF
emergencies and the adaptation OF
means to ends. He thus inevitably
cultivated the habit of purpose, that
Is, OF imagining a piece of work be-
forehand and then following out the
design.
The doctors are beginning to tell us
that achievement-the doing of real
things-is the greatest therapeutic
agent both for body and mind. 1t is
as potent with the well as with the
sick Splitting rails may not be so
sharpening to the wits as splitting
hairs in a debating society, but 1t Is
more hardening to the muscles and
the chal acter.
Even in his play, If the lack Of play-
grounds confines him to the street for
the purpose, the CITY boy is constantly
interrupted by the traffic, and his pur-
pose thereby chopped into short
lengths until It becomes like inferior
cotton, too short ply to make good
thread The great patience in en-
deavor that was a determining factor
in Lincolns career is quality less
easily cultivated amid the aimless
hustle of street life than in the quiet
performance of definite country tasks.
And Lincoln was great because he
embodied the spirit OF the nation. Has
the city hoy today the same chance
of doing that? Is there to the same
extent national spirit to embody?
The city boy in America Is usually of
foreign parentage, while the city itself
is dominated by no one national ideal.
Traditions held sacred in his home
may be unknown to large sections of
the population among which he lives.
A sort of political inconsistencies of
the soul, defeat of its natural ex-
preston, almost inevitably results
with a lesser symptom in Juvenile
lawlessness and a more serious one in
the lack of that inspiration which
never comes save with participation in
a vital national ideal. Until we win
for ourselves such an ideal. shining
in every citizen, common to us ALL the
individual, be he rich or poor, young
or old, will receive an impaired spir-
:tual inheritance.
Eut there Is one thing, and a thing
of Importance In relation TO this very
matter Of nat. nal ideal to be lived
up into. which The city boy has aud
which Lincoln &C not haye-namely,
the example dT Abraham Lincoln, to
iuspice him.