The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-06-12
THE LITTLE THINGS

The Denison Herald in commenting upon
news story which tells of mule being
stung to death by humble bees, a few days
ago, says: Had it have been a lion the
mule would have kicked the stuffing out
of it, and adds, '1t is the little worries, the
little things which get ones goat"
The Herald man is world-wise and knows
whereof he speaks. The rule which he
applies to the mule, if attacked by lion,
applies as well to man.
Every successful man is a fighter. He
knows how to meet and cope with troubles.
He knows how to overcome big obstacles He
knows how to take off his coat, roll up his
sleeves and deal solar plexus blow to
discouragements which come in phalanx, in
regiments, in battalions, seeking to circumvent
his efforts and overthrow his chances for
success
But the man who can tackle the most
strenuous undertaking and meet the great
est opposition with smile, coming out Win
ner in the contest, frets and worries and
finally surrenders to the attacks which come
from armies of little things, no single one of
which may be worth a moments notice
1t has been said that it takes a really big
man, truly brave man, to meet and over
come every barrier which may be placed in
his way With this assertion we take issue.
We believe that any man who has red fight
ing blood in his veins, if gifted with the mod
icum of nerve and grit and common horse
sense can go out into the world and wrest
success from almost certain defeat, and then
be, in the end, overthrown by the constant
pling up of little worries and vexations, of
little expressions of disapprobation, of small
criticisms and accumulated inuendoes cast
a ntaU
against his ability and acumen and power to
adapt himself to local conditions.
1t has been written that the constant drip
ping of water will wear away the hardest
stone, will reduce the seemingly indestruc-
ible granite to dust. 1t has been demon
strated that the drip, drop, drip, one drop at
time of water upon the barred head will
drive the hardest man insane. The man who
has the physique to go out into the ocean
and battle with the waves and smile at
death, with one drop of water in place of bill
lows lnnumerable falling upon him, gives up
the fight, strikes his colorS and in the end
surrenders most ingloriously
The horse which, with kind word
spoken at the right moment with the gentle
touch OF hand giving an encouraging pat
Will strain into the collar and move tons of
burden. The same horse, eternally nagged
at will soon become so balky that he will
refuse to pull the shadow of buzzard out
of mud hole.
1t was not the additional tonnage which
broke the camel's back, but the final straw
the little thing, the negligible atom, the
something which none considered important
or worth while. 1t is never mountain to
be overcome which presents the nsurmount-
able obstacle, but the continuous series of
mole hills, each one of which demands
raising Of the foot and the taking of stride
slightly beyond the normal which in the end
so tires the pedestrian that he gives up the
journey and quits the struggle in disgust.
We are told that it is the little things which
count in making success in anything possible
Also, it may be said that the little things
make defeat and disaster sure.