Pushing to the Front | Page 7

"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall
stand before kings." This proverb is well illustrated by the career of the
industrious Franklin, for he stood before five kings and dined with two.

He who improves an opportunity sows a seed which will yield fruit in
opportunity for himself and others. Every one who has labored honestly
in the past has aided to place knowledge and comfort within the reach
of a constantly increasing number.
Avenues greater in number, wider in extent, easier of access than ever
before existed, stand open to the sober, frugal, energetic and able
mechanic, to the educated youth, to the office boy and to the
clerk--avenues through which they can reap greater successes than ever
before within the reach of these classes in the history of the world. A
little while ago there were only three or four professions--now there are
fifty. And of trades, where there was one, there are a hundred now.
"What is its name?" asked a visitor in a studio, when shown, among
many gods, one whose face was concealed by hair, and which had
wings on its feet. "Opportunity," replied the sculptor. "Why is its face
hidden?" "Because men seldom know him when he comes to them."
"Why has he wings on his feet?" "Because he is soon gone, and once
gone, cannot be overtaken."
"Opportunity has hair in front," says a Latin author; "behind she is bald;
if you seize her by the forelock, you may hold her, but, if suffered to
escape, not Jupiter himself can catch her again."
But what is the best opportunity to him who cannot or will not use it?
"It was my lot," said a shipmaster, "to fall in with the ill-fated steamer
Central America. The night was closing in, the sea rolling high; but I
hailed the crippled steamer and asked if they needed help. 'I am in a
sinking condition,' cried Captain Herndon. 'Had you not better send
your passengers on board directly?' I asked. 'Will you not lay by me
until morning?' replied Captain Herndon. 'I will try,' I answered 'but
had you not better send your passengers on board now?' 'Lay by me till
morning,' again shouted Captain Herndon.
"I tried to lay by him, but at night, such was the heavy roll of the sea, I
could not keep my position, and I never saw the steamer again. In an
hour and a half after he said, 'Lay by me till morning,' his vessel, with

its living freight, went down. The captain and crew and most of the
passengers found a grave in the deep."
Captain Herndon appreciated the value of the opportunity he had
neglected when it was beyond his reach, but of what avail was the
bitterness of his self-reproach when his last moments came? How many
lives were sacrificed to his unintelligent hopefulness and indecision!
Like him the feeble, the sluggish, and the purposeless too often see no
meaning in the happiest occasions, until too late they learn the old
lesson that the mill can never grind with the water which has passed.
Such people are always a little too late or a little too early in everything
they attempt. "They have three hands apiece," said John B. Gough; "a
right hand, a left hand, and a little behindhand." As boys, they were late
for school, and unpunctual in their home duties. That is the way the
habit is acquired; and now, when responsibility claims them, they think
that if they had only gone yesterday they would have obtained the
situation, or they can probably get one to-morrow. They remember
plenty of chances to make money, or know how to make it some other
time than now; they see how to improve themselves or help others in
the future, but perceive no opportunity in the present. They cannot seize
their opportunity.
Joe Stoker, rear brakeman on the ---- accommodation train, was
exceedingly popular with all the railroad men. The passengers liked
him, too, for he was eager to please and always ready to answer
questions. But he did not realize the full responsibility of his position.
He "took the world easy," and occasionally tippled; and if any one
remonstrated, he would give one of his brightest smiles, and reply, in
such a good-natured way that the friend would think he had
over-estimated the danger: "Thank you. I'm all right. Don't you worry."
One evening there was a heavy snowstorm, and his train was delayed.
Joe complained of extra duties because of the storm, and slyly sipped
occasional draughts from a flat bottle. Soon he became quite jolly; but
the conductor and engineer of the train were both vigilant and anxious.
Between two stations the train came to a quick halt. The engine had

blown out its