Year: 1874

Inc w OK JnaI w MS,


If | can only impress upon the youns


men who read this Journal the Importance


of choosing one thing for their life-busi


ness, and sticking to it, / shall not have


written this article in vain. What is
success but the reward of persevering
industry? Oh, / don't have any refer
ence to thatindustry of some people, who
go changing about from one thing to
another during their whole lives. They
may be the busiest people in the world
but they accomplish nothing. l mean
the well-directed effort that laws siege to
some particular trade or profession, and
conquers aud takes full command of it,
just as armies besiege and conquer a
strong city.


Oh, thee desire to be brilliant! | think
it destroys more fine characters than rum.
1t is disease that often works fatally
among our talented young Americans,
withering inherent genius by pulling it
from the particular soil where it natural
| -ly grows, and transplanting it wherever
foolish fancy dictates.


What a pity it is that there exists,
even in our land, q spirit which looks
disparagingly upon hard-working, slow
plodding mediocrity. There is a thous-
and times more hope for an honest shoe
maker, who does his work well and sticks
to his business, than of your brilliant
fellow who gallops over land and sea,
now scribbling a nice little poem for
newspaper, again reading a little law, and
what next he will do the Lord only
knows. Continuity, like every other
quality of mind, is capable of develop
ment; but like others, alas it is some
times largely inherent, and often exhib-
it's itself in remarkable degree, quite
early in life. Show me boy who makes
his kite fly in spite of its ragged tail and
a boisterous wind ); who works day after
day, and night after nightat his problem
and gets it; who whittles till his fingers
are sore and his knife is dull, but finally
succeeds in making a top to suit him,
and do not care if he is 'as slow as
molasses in winter" I'll wager my
money on him hundred times in prefer
ence to the bright, smart little pet of the
school who gets his lessons in five min
utes, and lets his kite go to the dogs be-
cause the tail breaks.


Continuity is worth more than genius.
The two united makes John Milton The
first, fully developed, makes VIM. Words
worth; but bright intellect, without a
genius for work, makes the village wit
who glorifes the American eagle on the
Fourth of July, and rolls in the corner
of beer saloon on Christmas day.
United, they always perform wonders;
but the ability to persevere in one course
often performs wonders anyhow, while
genius, without Continuity, is always
dancing about like wil-o the-wisp, de-
ceiving people, and constantly shining
very dimly through a mist.


Oh, how many fine young men we have
seen of acknowledged talent and finished
education, who have had to yield the
palm to some plodding fellow who was
reckoned blockhead in his school-boy
days


John NJ, while at college, was re-
garded as a young man of great promise.
The professors lavished much praise
upon him, and if there were any offices
to be filed in students associations: the
honor was generally conferred upon him.


On commencement day, he delivered
one of the most pleasing orations given;
and the audience whispered, one TO an
other, "How eloquent" The first year
after he received his diploma, he taught
school; the next he studied medicine
the next he had something to do with
country paper; for time he kept books;
and for several years more he was en-
gagged in several other things, and the
last time l saw him he was about thirty
uNe years Vi aSS, anu OHly d Id" yer .
clerk.


William P, his early school-mate,
was not nearly so apt a scholar; yet, by
dint of hard study he managed to worry
out all of the difficult points in his les
sons. Besides, he had so many peculi-
arities in his ways, that the school-boys
were tempted to poke fun at him, and
play sly tricks at his expense whenever
they could. Being sensitive, this, of
course, hurt his feelings, but no doubt
contributed to his success, as it goaded
him to greater diligence, so that he could
have revenge upon his tormentors by
beating them in recitation. But he
never got higher than the public school,
and, liking the business, chose teaching
for his profession. Year by year he add
ed to his store of knowledge, until he be-
came recognized as thorough English
scholar, as well as the most successful
teacher in the country. At thirty five,
while John NJ was still lawyers
clerk, he was State Superintendent of
most States of the Union.


The cause of difference in the career of
these two men is easily seen. One was
inconstant in his work. The other en-
tered his profession early, and worked as
if he had made solemn oath to be faithful
to it until death. When a man chooses
his profession or his trade as he chooses
his wife, because he loves it above all
other things, and proves himself faithful
to his first love by an unwearied diligence,
it requires no prophet to toretell his sue
cess