Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-06-01
H. Jefferson County, West Virginia, Thursday June /, 1916
The Country Boy And Opportunity.

The Country Boy And opportunity.
The young man who goes from the
country TO the city and wins success there
is always a picturesque figure His ca
reer is the ideal OF the reStive, ambitious
boy who lives on farm from which his
father wrings reluctant livelihood. That
boy looks forward 10 the time when he
also shall 90 forth TO conquer. He wants
a larger sphere Of activity. He Graves op-
portunity.
Opportunity, like the pot OF gold, lies
at the end of rainbow. The country
boy believes that steel rails will lead him
TO il.
In a small country drug store there was
a clerk who knew that he was big enough
in vision and ability 10 deal with prob
lens greater than those that formed his
daily routine. He saw the great city
bristling with opportunities. II he had
been alone, he would surely have ven
tured forth; but at first he could not
leave his father and mother, and later in
life a wife and baby chained him 10 a
place where he was al least sure ola live
lihood.
But he did not become bitter at what
seemed a lack OF opportunity. Instead,
he harnessed his energy and his ability
TO the tasks that the days provided.
The statesmen who travelled for the big
drug companies were impressed with GER
tain qualities that set this man apart from
the average clerk. The president OF one
of the largest and most progressive drug
houses heard rumors OF the man, and in
vestigated the facts on which they rested.
He needed a new man in the business
and sent for the country clerk. "l've been
keeping my eye on you for over year,
he said
The opportunity that in the city might
have been long delayed or that might
never have come was al hand. The
country clerk accepted the offer and step
ped into the organization. He "made
good" and to-day he is not only mem-
Der Of the firm but its general manager.
Opportunity There is a village in
New England in which lives young
man who worked his way through COL
lege. He wanted TO be a surgeon, but
when halfway through his course he was
halted by the death Of his father. He re-
turned to the village 10 take care OF his
mother.
The physically and mentally vigorous
in the community had set their faces TO-
ward the city. Tothem the village SEEM
ed 10 offer nothing in the way OF oppor-
tunity. But the boy who had gone back
TO take care OF his mother discovered
what they had overlooked.
The village was getting TO be summer
resort. People who were building their
cottages on the beach were in need OF
supplies. He went TO the proprietor OF
the old general store, whose interest in
the advent OF this new element was as
yet passive. His stock was so lacking
in the things that the newcomers wished
10 buy that they were ordering their sup
plies direct from the city.
The proprietor OF the old general store
was doubtful, but the boy persisted, and
the store underwent change. Summer
visitors opened accounts that rapidly in
creased The proprietor soon found
himself taking large orders tor articles OF
the very nature OF which he knew nothing.
Being lost in the mazes OF his own busl-
ness, he turned to the boy and offered
him partnership.
The old general store has become one
Of the best equipped in New England,
and, besides owning its stock and fix
lures and building, il owns and carries
on a summer hotel. The junior member
has house that would open the eyes OF
his friends who wandered afield in search
of opportunity. He also has log camp
in the woods where he goes for relax
atlon-such retreat as would fill with
homesick longing the heart OF the coun-
try boy who is tied 10 the city.
Opportunity Yes, like the pot OF
gold, opportunity does lie at the end OF
the rainbow. but not at the end that drops
down behind the distance -empurpled
hill; rather ii lies at the end just behind
us, where, if we will only turn our strain
ing eyes, we cannot help finding it.