The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-02-11
OPPORTUNITIES.

lacking to acquire greatness, power, wealth,
influence; there are open no fields now to a
young man to display his talents and ener-
eies, to make worth while the outlay of
time and thought.
But let US not be deceived. The powers
of the human intellect have not yet been
exhausted, the capacity of the human brain
for invention and discovery has not yet
been worn out, the forces of human genius
have not become completely enervated or
diminished. There still are more things on
earth as in Heaven that are not dreamt of
by Cor in) our philosophy. We have not
reached the end or term of human ingenu-
ity, and even in material and intellectual
things there is yet " a height above our
height and deep below our depth.'' Not
withstanding the self complacent mood of
the present century and its buoyant salts
faction in its accomplishments and profic-
iency, we are greatly ignonant of much
that was as plain as day to our remote an
cestors.
Life and the world are still like some
prmeval forest; no matter how many men
have lived before US, no matter how many
have reached fame and fortune, power and
glory, no matter how many have thought
and sung, have written and worked; they
have not entirely cleared the pathway be-
fore US. They have not by any means cut
down all the trees or removed all the shrub
berry. They have not used up all the re-
sources or appropriated all the riches, or
sucked up all the fertility or possessed
themselves of all the wealth of the earth or
explained all the mysteries of the world
and life.
There is no lack of opportunities to &C.
quire whatever greatness we may legiti-
mately desire. Only we must not be like
the tramp who, when he was reproached
for not working and making something of
himself, replied: "Lady, can't find any
position in my line.'' "What's your line,
good man?'' "Beinga bank president"
Most of US 60 through life signing for
opportunities while they are lying thick
around. We think that if we had chances
such as some others have had we could
accomplish great things. But another
comes along and with circumstances and
chances similar to those we now possess
wins his way to honor and renown and
achieves noble results. What is needed is
men alert and eager to see the chances and
seize the opportunities that are found
everywhere in the commonplace of life.
Often we see men forging ahead of whom
very little was predicted. They had quite
mediocre talents, they were not prominent
in their classes, they were considered to
possess small capacity, if any. But they
rise and are still rising because they were
capable enough to recognize an opportuni-
ty when it came, and to put their whole
beings in their work. And it is very
truism to repeat that "the fault is not in
our stars but in ourselves that we are un-
derlings."
There is an immense army of the unem-
ployed, and still vaster array of the un-
successful, standing in the market places
complaining of hard fortune and ill-luck,
of the cruelty of capital and the worlds
heartlessness. They are waiting for some
great wave to carry them on, or sitting idly
by in the expectation that something sud-
den will in a moment bring them coveted
prize. While they are forgetting that we
prepare ourselves for the sudden and for
emergencies by the good or bad which
gradually determines character.
Wealth or competence, success or high
proficiency, can still be attained by any
and all who bring to the enterprise an
earnest disposition, an interchangeable in
dastry, an honest heart and generous
spirit of sacrifice. Strong minds, able
bodies and towering personalities are still
in demand in every walk of life.
Whatever be the direction in which we
are to employ our powers, whatever be oul
pursuit or our life-work, whatever be the
special bent of our talents, we must inure
ourselves to work and self-sacri6ce. Sue.
cess must be wooed and won; prosperity i:
to be purchased at great price. There viii
be always the need of renewal or renovation
after periods of defeat or encouragement
We are dragged onward by the resistless
current of circumstances, oft we know MOI
whittier, oft against our will We will be
forced to stifle half the good ideas we have
learned, hall the dear aspirations of exist.
ence. All are doomed at some time OIL
other to fall, subdued by fatigue or ex.