The Washington herald., 1915-01-24
SELF-IMPROVEMENT PAYS
By oRIsoN SWEET mARDEN.

Epes Sargent said that the man who
did not think it respectable to bring up
his children TO work had just heard from
his three sons. One was driver on
canal: another had been arrested as
vagrant; and a third had gone to GER
tain institution, to learn TO hammer
stone under a keeper.
No trade" is the open sesame to our
jails. 1t is said that 30 per cent OF the
convicts in the Massachusetts, State
Prison at CharlestOwn entered by the
password, NO trade
If you want to know a Young mans
character. find out what he does with his
spare minutes. Does he see education.
seIf-culture. a coveted book. in the odd
moments and half-holidays which others
throw away: or docs he see a sparrinS-
match. a saloon. a gambling-place, horse
racing. Or pool table?
Multitudes of adults who feel the need
OF making up for their early educational
losses, do not think that few minutes
OF reading during their spare time, or
little study during the evenings or half
holidays would 90 very far toward
acquiring an education. And yet thou
sands of people have gotten a splendid
substitute for a college course just in
This way.
The pursuit Of education by soul hun
cry for know ledge, yearninG for mental
enlargement. is tho best kind of invest
ment, because it gives infinite satisfac-
tion and infinite advantage.
You may not he able to compete sue
CessfuIly with natural money-maker.
but there arc things infinitely more i'm
portant with which you can successfully
compete with any human being. and that
Is i'm trying to be real man or woman,
to make the most Of yourself. There new
or will be any trust. any combination. in
Chara cter building. You may make other
had Investments. but you can always in
vest to good advantage in yourself.
You may he out of work. but you can
always get q good job working for your
self, improving yourself. cnlarginG your
life, pushing out your horizon of iEnOr-
anCe. posting yourself along the line OF
your work. your talent.
have known those who have been long
out of employment to make much greater
progress working for themselves. in self
improvement, self-cnCouragement and
elf-betterment. l have known them
even to make moro money by increasing
their earning capacity, than they had
previously done when they had job.
oh. I'll study and get ready. and then.
maybe. the chance will come" said
young Lincoln, when the good Mrs. Craw-
ford laughed at his joking suggestion
that he might some day he President.
Would any power on earth. think YOU.
have opened the door to the White House
to the poor. awkward backwoods boy. II
he had not drilled his powers, and de-
vCloPed to the utmost those qualities
which make mon leaders?
a man converted at a Salvation Army
meeting declares that he begged his way
from five years of age. and never earned
a cent i'm his life by honest la Dor: in fact.
that H. did not know how to do anything
About the only thing he could do after
he was converted was to tend baby, for
" hiCh hc received 81 a week. Think OF an
able<bodiod man. in this land Of oppOr-
tunity. growing up without learning how
tn do anything
Shakespeare SAYS:
Ignorance is the cIr.c of God
knowledge Inc wings NherrWiIh n n hcavrn.
OF all tho habits that can he formed
in youth none will prove moro helpful in
after years than that Of self-improve-
ment. II is one Of tho best of character
builders. II il is strongly intrenChed in
the nature OF the hoy or girl before they
GO out from the influence OF the home It