The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-05-10

baths, so we left the pond.
Near by, we saw little black calf
that had strayed from the barn. l had
an idea that l thought would yea
good interest considering the time
consumed in conceiving it and carry
ing it out. We "roped' the calf and
hitched to the vehicle, he tossed his
ferent from the ones you see every
day on the streets of Sank Centre,
drawn by dogs.
When we had our "horse" securely
hicthed to the vehicle, he tossed his
head and looked towards us as though
he expected something to begin. 1t
did. The calf made the first move; l
the second; then both together at a
rate that would have shamed Dan
Patch. He made a great circle to the
west and north across the fields; then
swerving directly southwark, he went
straight for the barn. The pond, which
lay directly between US and the barn,
Waslonger. east and west. Forgetting
in his haste, to look where he was 60
ing; or, perhaps, having an idea Of
his own, he increased his speed on the
downward slope toward the pond, but
did not change his course an inch.
Just as his feet touched the shore
he must have noticed how near the ice
was, for he jumped to one side. But
l kept right on. The rope snapped as
the tobbogan turned sideways, plow-
ing up water that had gathered on the
ice, giving me a shower, and thereby
preparing me for the rest. The to-
boggan began to sink. jumped from
it hoping to get away. Down l went
just to my neck. Forgetting the wat
er for the time, l began to break ice.
l could get about half out of the water
when the ice would give way, and back
l would plunge, like frog trying to
keep his nose above the blue sea of
blossom of blooming f1axfeld.
When I got out at last 1 observed
the whole family standing near enjoy
ing themselves immensely at what
they called my aquatic stunt" Be-
lieve me or not, but the neighbours boy
went around the neighborhood telling
everyone that my affair was the most
"true to life" exhibition that he had
ever seen. Gilbert Stegner,
Class of 1918.
Ambition Is Sometimes Harmful.
Ambition is wonderful thing to
have and it is something every person
should have. 1t is that great desire
for distinction which in some is easily
satisfied and in others is never salts
fled. 1t is this latter ambition which is
often harmful.
AS one runs through the pages of
history he sees over and over again
the harm wrought by too strong an
ambition. There is Alexander the
Great who tried to unite the whole
known world regardless of race or ma
tionalities. His ambition was too great
and only made it longer for peoples to
adjust themselves and their govern
ments after his death. Great Caesar
S another illustrious example of ex-
cessive ambition. 1t finally brought
on his downfall and death when it was
discovered that his desire was to be-
come king. Shakespeare says of the
ambitious Cromwell:
Cromwell, 1 charge thee, fling
away ambition;
By that sin fell the angels"
Cromwel's rule was the rule of the
sword and not of law. 1t hindered the
English from establishing per-
manent government sooner than they
did. But most prominent of the ambi-
tious characters is Napolea. He stands
for ambition personifed. "He became
selfish ambitionist and quack," says
Carlyle. Although Napolean id con-
fer great gains upon France and the
rest of Europe, nevertheless, he
brought harm upon them. He hinder
ed the unification of Italy and Ger
many; and France, because of his rule,
continued in a state of turmoil until
1879. One of the great objects CT
France today in the present war is to
regain Alsace-Loraine which Napol-
can had gained for France and which
France lost to Germany in 1870.
Not taking into account the ambi-
tious German Kaiser, it is pleasing
to note that such harmful ambition is
becoming less and less in the civilized
countries of today
tn