The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-10-26
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SUCCESS IN LEE DUE i
LARGELY To.EORTITylE &,
~, AND SELF CONFIDENCE

We hear a great deal these times
about the "slodchiness" Of the nod
ern men andswon1en, and itiwolId az
most appear that mental s~alersness
were the one and only necessity for
this life. Well, 1t does do "a rood
deal, there can Be no doubt aB6dt
that; but there IS Quality athas
matters much more and which seesRsl
even more 1amentably lacking ID ne
world at large, and that Is f6rtitdde.
Most of us are SO horribly soft, so
d~readfully anxious to HID tHs
easiest way Of doing everything, "a
solicitous after the soft job,n %
eager for pleasure and luxury that
we are losing the power to asdksf
and be strong"
At all times this attitude 81 mind
and soul spells disaster, but nowa-
days, in wartimes, it matters d thous-
and times more: It dsed to Be En-.
tirely u own affair If We were seff-
indulgent and weak, but now it is
matter Of national importance, and
it bheooves us to shake ourselves up
and take stock Of DIR powers Of re-
sistance and ~self-denia1. Fortitude
strength Of our soul, grit, wshatever
you like to call it, is Of two kinds:
The sort that merely endures pas
siyely and without compliant, and the
active type that gets up and makes
war on the sea Of trouble. Both
require moral backbone, apd some
times the passive. needs the greater.
Have you even noticed o tiny little
stream that just, seems to creep sluy-
gishly along, barely showing enough
strength, to carry the dead leaves
that drift on its. surface7 So long
as there is no obstacle in its way II
is quite, but place q few big stones.
across its urs 80, as to act as
dam and see what happensi It;gath7
ers in strength and in, volume, rising
higher and higher until finally Il
dashes over the barrier, sometimes,
even carrying it away or throwingit
to one side, tearing on swifter, deep
er, bigger, for the difficulty. That is;
just the way with the, strong soul.
When all is going well, it may ap-
pear lazy, but let. the occasion arise;
and it will, show it's powers, rise
above, the trouble and go on all the
finer because Of whatit has. endured.
There are some persons born with.
this precious inheritance, but most
of rs have to cultivate it, and the
cultivation necessitates the acquiring;
of the habit through constant ex-
ercise Of self-denial. If we cannot:
say "No" to ourselves in little, things
we are hardly likely to. do itiwhen
the greater temptation is before nj. /.
If we cannot endure, a passing pain
or inconvenience without complaint,
there is small chance that we can
face the greater without f1inching.
That is really the evil Of allowing
ourselves to join the vast ranks, Of
"kckers." We become chronically:
looking for trouble, and so sure as
we do we are bound to find it. If we
walk. through life with our eyes on
the ground, we shall certainly see.
the mud and the dirt rather than the
blue sky and the sunshine, and after
a bit we shall begin, to. think We are;
the most unfortunate persons in the
world; that no good luck ever comes
our way; and so surely as we begin
to indulge in self-pity, so sure will
we lose the tiny stock of fortitude
with which we started life.
Then we begin to drift and shift
with every wind, to lose our bear
ings, and the failure and sorrow we
lamented becomes doubly ours;
while had we only stood firm we
would be on solid rock and pin-pricks
or battering rams would be alike in
capable, of depriving us Of our peace
of soul. Besides this, the added
strength which we will have gained
through surmounting the obstacles
to u success or happiness will
make us better able to gain our end.
You know the old saying. "Noth-
ing succeeds like success; well, it is
as true as the gospel, and if you go
through life with your head up and
a smile on your lips, no matter how
you are feeling the "slings and ar
row of outrageous fortune" fate
will tire Of beating in vain against
a rock and good luck will come.
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