El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-06-26

~ while getting his shoes shtned,
that the young fellow stopped
Occa sional1y and cast a glance at q
book near by. It was an algebra The
professor happened to occupy the chair
OF mathematics and he offered to help
the young man out.
The professor gave him his card,
promising to help him at any time.
His spare moments got him into other
mathematical difficulties which the
professor helped him to solve. The en-
terprising lad used so well these rag
ments OF time that he laid the Iounda-
ton of thorough course in mathema-
tics which fitted him 10 occupy posi-
ton at the head Of an electrical esta-
blishment with salary OF SbVOO
year
archacolOgist Of his day. at II, was
selling sauerkraut and herring IN
small German village At 40 he retired
from business, not only with princely
fortune. but the master Of Hebrew,
Arabic Latin, Greek. Russian Swedish,
French. Dutch, Spanish, Italian Portu-
gese, Polish and modern Greek-aI OF
which he acquired in the spare NOM
ents left him after attending to his
business.
Sir John Lubbock made himself the
highest English authority on pre-his-
toric archaeology by odd moments
taken from his mercantile pursuits
Hugh Miller found time while pursu-
ing his trade as a stone mason, not
only TO read, but to write, cultivating
his style until he became one OF the
most brilliant authors Of the day.
GrOte, whose history OF Greece Is oy
far the most trustworthy, was banker
and did his literary work in time
snatched from business.
Sid Walter Scott, when employed
as uuartermaster Of the Edinburgh
Light cavalry was accidentally dis
abled by the kick OF a horse and was
confined some time to his house. he
had so trained himself to find spare
moments for self-imprOVement in every
pursuit that he turned even an accident
to good account The sworn enemy to
idleness, he set his mind TO Work ana
in three days. composed the first canto
OF The Lay Of the Last Minstrel"
Hour a Day Would Give Wisdom.
An hour every day taken from your
frivolous pursuits and pro11taoly en-
pIoyed would enable you, even II IN
ordinary capacity, to go far toward
mastering a complete sc1ence-one
would make an ignorant man well in
formed in ten years
George Stephenson. who would
neither read nor write at 20 taught
himself arithmetic and Ganuration
while working in an engine room dur
ing the night shifts, and he studied
mechanics during his spare hours at
home, thus preparing himself for the
Elihu Buritt, who mastered IL
ancient and modern languages and p
European dialects, attributed his first |
success in self-improvement, not TO |
pIoyment Of odd moments" while |
working at his trade as a blacksmith !
In the language Of that prodigy OF |
industry, Goethe: DO not wait for ex- /
traordinary opportunities for good &C
tons. but make use Of common situa- /
lions. A long continued walk is better /
than q short flight"
These examples Of the employment /
Of those invaluable moments called i
fragments OF time, should carry the /
lesson that even spare moments con-
stitute part OF the imperial highway
to success
To the indolent the happiest oppor- !
tunities avail nothing, but these odds 4
and ends of time may be worked up 4
into results Of greatest value.
If You are really anxious TO do any 1
thing, you viii find time or make .,
time for it.
Failure to accomplish demonstrates
not the lack Of time, but the feeble
ness OF your will
In the gold-working room OF the
United States mint at Philadelphia
there is a singular floor. network OF
wooden bars so arranged IS to catch
all the falling particles of the prec-
ciOus metal At the close OF each days
labor this floor. which is in sections, I
Is taken up and all the golden duet is
carefully swept up and recOIned, and
even the Workmen in the room shange I
their clothes at night and leave them Z
there. so that the dust may be shaken /
)ut. swept up and saved II you would (
ants as the golden dust Of life's work
ing room.