Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1921-06-09

of old Sandy you will find schools of polliwogs.
Learn a lesson from them
"These polliwogs are on their way to froghood.
You fellows are on your way to manhood. But the
polwogs are not in any particular hurry. don't
think you'll find them trying to leap around and lift
their voices like frogs AS matter of fact they
are going to assume several different shapes be-
fore they settle down into froghood. For the
present, however, they are content to go right on
being polliwogs
You fellows are in the polliwog stage Your
powers and abilities only half revealed. Look
around before you decide what you want to be or
do In few years you may become aware of quail
tiles in your makeup whose existence you never
suspected. At the same time, abilities that you
think you now possess may fade away. Take your
time You may save yourself from the fate of
misft. You've heard Of them-the doctors are I'M
happy because they are not lawyers, the chemists
who would be of more service to the world as
newspaper men,
have passed on these wise words to many boys
And pass them on now with application
to the snall-town boy who dreams of achiev-
ing success in the city,
His mind is cramned with Horatio Alger, Jr.
stuff. He has read the picturesque life stories
of some of our big men who left the farm for the
city. The whistles of locomotive among the hills
makes him yearn for the city, bristling with OPP
portunities He looks upon the gistening rails
the. avenue to his opportunity.
He is short-sighted
few years ago, big city the place for
an upand-coming young man. 1t needed him. and
1T was prepared to reward him with money and po-
stion. Today, however, the story is reversed.
america has grown too fast" say our deep think
ing economists and pubcists. "She has spread
herself thinly a large area. The future Of
the country lies in its undeveoped small cities
and towns"
Are you looking for opportunity? Examine that
little old "one-hoss" town of yours, before you
think of buying a one-way ticket from it. There
many ambitious, and very wise, young men
who are deliberately leaving the larger cities and
moving into towns such yours
A few months ago visited country store in a
typical small town of the West. The owner is a
young man. Ten years ago he left the town and
went to Chicago for ''reak job" But he had not
worked long before he realized that it would be
many years before he could get the KIND OF ]oD
he wanted. There were opportunities for fore.
men. managers superintendent and other
BOSSES" But they were purely administrative
jobs. He wanted to create and bulld up DUST
ness of his own.
The death of his father called him home to care
for his mother, and he got job iii general store
of the town. 1t terrible grind Tile WORK
itself was not back breaking. Bur the daily round
Of little things to do-the same dull routine houi
after hour day after day. week after Week. go
on his nerves. Weighing out bagful OF TINS
wrapping up a handful of that-it was hard worn
simply because 1t was not interesting.
Did this young fellow settle down and wear MN
self deeper and deeper into the rut! he dld not
He simply began to look around to see II ne coult
liven things up.
He suggested to the owner that he advertise.
Advertise! !" snorted the owner. ''What for
Why-p'tu Everyone round here knows wer
here And open for business all the time P'tu
And carrying almost anything in stock that they
ever want Advertise! What for?
He suggested specializing. "Why not throw on
some of these sow-moving articles and put !
goods that sell more quicky?"
mo" said the merchant "We depend on To
farmers for the bulk Of trade, and we've &C
tn carry a general line-a little bit of everything
No-p'tu!-weI go right on with our line
staples.
The next year the young man bought out tn
old man and started in to he business-bulde
HIS first reform was to get rid of half the stool
You know what a collection Of junk the averae
country general store is, with its haunting ode
of harness grease calico. soda crackers, hors
llnilnent and cheese.
He had observed that the women did most of tf
buyipg So he nodded his stores service to me-
their needs He investigated their buying habit
He learned that those who could afford to bt
finery patronized the large city stores, or sci
away to the mail order houses.
The Young man visited the !obbers and man
facturers in the city. He brought back lars
consignment of hats suits, dresses and 9th
stylish things that women wear. Then he mt
nm a special department in the space from wh
he had thrown the gun oil and tea-penay nal