118 THE MANITOU MESSENGER. jack-knife, so—what could I do -I had to architecture is a minglemangle of different buy one, but to avoid scandal I gave it contrarietys." away to a lad who could not be suspected "The Ponton over Limfjorden is 9221, of knowing anything of its crooked ways, ells long, 22-J foots broad." and got a regular Sunday-school-boy arti­ "Frederiksborg castle at Hilleroed is cle as soon as 1 got to New York. heaved on holms in the sea, builded in Odense is the capital of the island of three wings united by a gallery." Fyen or Fun en. It is a small, quiet, old That will do! Please note that I am not place, and all the buildings, including the responsible for anything within quotation palace, belong to the Liliputian order of marks, except the faithful transcription of architecture. One could easily lay his the unique original. hand on the tiled roofs, and 1 almost felt Copenhagen prides itself especially on like a giant walking about on the streets. its exposition and on the Tivoli (which I Therefore, when the customs officers de­ believe is a Danish corruption of English manded three kroner duty, my first im­ deviltry, a belief which is founded, not on pulse was to refuse (and back my refusal, any slipshod theories like Grimms' Law, if necessary), but on reflection I found but on a careful comparison of solid facts). that a little country like Denmark might Tivoli is a popular resort for amusement. need this help towards maintaining her Both sexes congregate there to eat and standing army. So I gave him the three drink. They were doing a grand busi­ kroner with my blessing and departed. ness when I was there, for there were At the Hotel St. Knud I accidentally probably 9999 more. OMEGA. picked up a book entitled: "Kjoebenham 1888," which afforded much amusement as SELF-KELIANCE. well as instruction. It contained illustra­ O O N., '!)(). tions of various buildings in Denmark with descriptive text in Danish, German, A somewhat trite subject this, perhaps, and English, furnished by native talent. but, as they say, good things are never too What I enjoyed most was the language. old,— as long as they are good. English and German had here evidently Self-reliance has very justly been placed found their master, for he certainly did by so many moralizers on the list of vir­ not obey their laws. I transcribed a few tues indispensable iumaking up a complete, examples and give them for what they are symmetrical character. It derives this im­ worth. portance partly from being one of the more "Bissens Statue (the gallant soldier) at practicable virtues, for after all, what is a Frederieia erechted in the open air at virtue as a virtue merely. The value of it Danmarksgade (denmarkstreet). The lies in what it can do. Of all the mental cloth was thrown by a with solemnity the qualifications necessary to a man's success 6 July 1858, that day the battle of Freder­ in life, there is probably none of more ieia has past for 10 years ago." importance than self-reliance. It is on Yiborg Cathedral is described as "a conscious strength, on reliance on one's granit Cross-church of the llyearhundred, self that manhood is built, and on which completely restorated 1863-76, in the most all hope of success worthy the name, must generous roman Basilika-architecture. be based; and tlms whatever tends to Insides, the church impress with a potent weaken this quality in a man, or deprive extention. The roof paintings are per­ him of it, is adverse to his true welfare. formed by F. C. Lund." Yet how few recognize this principle, how Of Aarhus cathedral he says: "The often do we not see it violated, and that, THE MANITOU MESSENGER. 119 too, especially by the most sympathetic under the protecting influence of other and and well meaning people, by those, for larger trees of its neighbors and it shall be instance, who are always ready to "help torn and uprooted by the storm. one along." Those latter show a spirit, We have a little illustrative story of noble and highly worthy in itself, but one John 0. Calhoun. When he attended col­ that needs to be kept within its bounds; lege his fellow students made fun of him for there are circumstances under which for his intense desire to study. He even great helps are in reality no helps at laughed and replied that he was forced to all. People speak of a young man as be­ make the best of his time in order to acquit ing lucky when he has a fortune to start himself creditably in congress. He fur­ with, or when he has rich parents who will thermore said: "If I were not satisfied with give him all the money he desires to spend. my ability of reaching congress in three But just this, to have a fortune to start years, I would at once leave college." with, or being lucky enough to have rich Here was self-reliance; here was a man parents or relatives has proved to be the who required no man's help but his own. stumbling block to many a young man. Calhoun saw very plainly the obstacles Who are the men that generally come to that lay before him, but while his fellow the front in this country? It is not those students were ridiculing him, he had con­ who were born into the world with a for­ fidence in his own will and strength and tune. It is not those who have spent their we know how he succeeded. We see youth in luxury and extravagance. It is again and again why a young man who not the rich man's sons who, as a rule,hav« has a fortune or is blessed with rich par­ pushed forward. It is the sons of the pooi ents is not so likely to succeed as one man that have come to tower above the who has to depend on himself. A fair il­ rest, those who have had to fight every lustration of this may be had at college. A inch of their way by their own hard labor. rich man's son, starting for school, does not This is a phenomenon of common occur­ so often go with the main object in view- rence, and the ways of accounting for it to study, as he goes to enjoy life; he does are not many. The facts are that he who not think so much of working hard, be­ is raised in abundance is too seldom called cause if he should fail in anything, he has upon to stand or to fall on his own merits: his money to fall back on. But the youth he is braced up and supported till he be­ of limited means goes there bent on mak­ comes helpless; he never developes that ing the most of his opportunities. He sturdy trait of character called self-reli­ knows that he has no one else than him­ ance. He, however, who is thrown back self to rely on and he also knows that his on his own resources has to call into play education and consequently also his future whatever there is in him of energy and career depend on his own exertions. Ac­ courage; he comes to feel that he can cordingly he throws all his energy into the think and act for himself; he learns to undertaking. Determined to leave no form a just estimate of his own powers; stones unturned in his path to progress, and he is hardened by repeated trials and whatever obstacle he meets, he will not acquires confidence in his own ability. try to pass around it, to climb over it, or to The tree growing up alone in the plain is go under it. He will go through it and exposed to all the furies of the elements, come out strengthened in hope, in will, in but it gathers strength at every onset by min i, and with self-reliance to carry him pushing its root and fibres deeper and with undaunted spirit against whatever deeper into the firm ground, till no tem­ there be to encounter. A man who can­ pest can rend it. Deprive one grown up not rely on himself to fight what lies across 120 THE MANITOU MESSENGER. his road to success will seldom succeed in and glanced over the news till the storm his undertakings. "Help yourself" it has had subsided, when he asked the house been said, "and you will have no one but whether they were ready—so he could go yourself to thank for what you may be­ on with his speech. None of these men come." "Ask as few favors as possible; if decided to "try something else." But why you ask many you will be called upon to cite such instances histoiy and daily life pay many, if you ask few you will have teem with examples that point to the same few to pay." "Ask no favors unless on the moral; namely, that what men become does principle of common courtesy," says an­ not depend so much on what ability they other. What would become of the man have, as upon what confidence they have in who would leave his business and all his themselves and what use they make of interests to be attended to by strangers ? It their ability. One may achieve something would result in the same way as in the case of success in various ways without self-re­ of so many others who have tried it. His liance. He may get there by pure luck, or business would go down, and he himself by the aid of others. But he who relies on would be a ruined man, for no one is so himself, though there be not much to rely interested in any cause as he whom it on, will generally reach his goal, while he most concerns, no one will make such ex­ who solicits the aid of others is looking for ertions and sacrifices for its furtherance. some one to help him start. Let not self- Hosts of men may be seen who, though reliance be confounded with haughtiness able and anxious to accomplish something, and the contempt of others; it is a worthy are wavering between everything and doing- attribute, the rock in a man's character nothing. They consider themselves least that gives individuality and force to all his of the lowly and dread to compete with actions, and keeps him steadily in his everybody and everything. "Too much course, whatever that may be. competition in these days." Others have A man should rely on himself first of all launched forth into something, but they things on earth, and see the truth in the read of the impossibility of their success old maxim, " Heaven helps him who helps and the certainty of their failure in every himself." trial they meet, and finally haul down their colors and look for some "safer business." Juufsriil® 0orn@r. Their little energy was stifled by the first breath of adversity, their hopes upset by the first contrary breeze. It is not because WHAT SHALL 1 WRITE ABOUT? they lack ability, but because they have no FROM A BOY'S ESSAY. confidence in it. But this is not the stuff great men are made of. Demosthenes was A very frequent question when I shall not disheartened. Disraeli did not go home write a composition is, What shall 1 write and weep over the "cold hand of fate" about? It gives me more trouble to find a when piped and laughed from the floor in good subject, than it does to write the the House of Commons. "The day shall composition. My only consolation, though come," he said, "when you shall hear me." a wicked one, is that others have the same And it did. L ud Lytton did not give up trouble. I do not like to write on such a in despair on account of repeated failures worn-out subject as, for instance, a horse. of his books. Bismarck did not get dis­ I could only tell Low many feet he has, couraged-when his first speech was greeted how many ears, and that he has a tail, a with hisses and shouts of contempt. He mane, and a nose; but such facts every­ simply pulled a paper from his pocket body knows, even the blood-thirsty mos-