The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-01-15
LEISURE HOUR REFLECTIONS
FROM A QUIET CORNER.
BY Dennis Thompson

Cuib, anu lCls HClG anu luClC may bC
found one, who has come up through
the storms of disadvantages, and have
been set upon the pedestal of fame
along with the chosen few.
Nature has endowed the average in
dividual with talent; some are FORUM
ate enough to have received several
but whatever the gift with which you
have ben endowed by Nature, it may,
in course of time, prove of little or no
value unless backed up by hard work
Sometimes you may be able to bring
out the unsupported" talent in your
self through hard work. and the great
pity is that so many of us abhor the
idea of hard work, but the person who
loves to work sometimes uncovers en-
dowments in their own nature that
they little dreamed of. Then, this
should be one of the good excuses for
hard work: we can never tell what we
may be able to turn up by constantly
digging. So many people are afraid of
being busy, and are forever worried
about being tired, when engaged at
something worth while; but on the
other hand, if they are doing things
that are of no credit to them, they can
spend lot of time at it without muir
mur. We should at all times bear in
mind the Importance of employing our
time to the best advantage, which, if
we do, we are not so apt to neglect the
improvement of such talents os we
may be endowed with. The person
who labors to improve that which they
have. cannot help but make a success
of life, while those who are not train
ing what talent they have, but are
looking for more, are bound to prove
a dismal failure. The great aim in
life should be a steady growth in the
things that make for the advancement
of Christianity, the progress of the
world, and the uplift of humanity, gen
orally. When al lis summed up, we
find that the answer is work-hard
work.
There is so much to be said about
work that our minds should not be
satisfied with the impression left by
hard work Then, again. there are so
many times people grasp the wrong
idea of how work should be DONE The
work that counts for success in this
world is hard work. we'll done; a lit
tie while ago the world was praising
us for hard work, but now, one gets
credit for hard work well done, and
this is the class of work most sought
for Outlines we meet with persons
who have a great deal of work on hand
because they have conceived in their
minds the greatness of having interest
in a large number of things. This is
a thing that cannot be recommended
from the fact that a person cannot be
engaged at too many occupations and
be successful. 1t is far better that
we concentrate our powers on one
thing, doing that well, than to have
so much to do and not do half our
work. One thing well done is more
creditable to us than a dozen half
done. These are things which should
be looked after as we go through life.
Cd the little things right around us;
ripe, greater things may seek us. The
main point is to know that we can do
it a little better than someone else.
1t is a matter of grave concern that
as we go about from day to day to
meet with so many people who stand
high in the estimation of the world,
who are dishonest from choice. If all
parents would teach their children
that to be successful one must be
graeter than their work and that price
cannot buy character, that they will
always be rich as long as they retain
it; in proportion to their strength and
integrity, and weak and unhappy and a
failure, no mater how. much money
they may have, just in proportion to
the weakness of character, if they only
started out with the conviction that
but one real failure is possible, and
that the loss of self-respect, the bar
ter of character, either for pleasure or
money; if children were taught that
they cannot aford to deceive even a
little bit in the quality of service, they
give in working and dealing with peo-
pie what a great change would come to
our civilization!
Dishonesty should have no part in
our lives. 1t is the duty of everyone
to be honest. The sphere of duty is
infinite and exists in every station of
life; we have it not in our choice to
be rich or poor, to be happy or unhap-
py; but, it becomes us to do the duty
that everywhere surrounds us. Obe-
dience to duty, at all costs, is the very
essence of the highest civilized life.
Great deds must be worked for, hoped
for and died for, now, as in the past.
The old story of the conductor admon-
ishing the new brakeman to keep his
lantern by his side, instead of hanging
up in one corner of car, at the other
end of the train, looms up before us
each day. There are so many people
of ability that are NEEDED in the great
battle of life each day, to help give
counsel, and point out the smoother
ways of life to those who are toiling
up the rugged steps of life. But un'
fortunately they are absent-minded
and careless like the brakeman; they
keep their light hanging up in places
where it is of no avail We can never
tell what will happen to us as we
Journey along the great pathway OF
life: on every side danger turks; II is
Vg-I.l