Do Your Best

Great danger beaots genius, aptness ar cleverness, and aa to resulta the ability of a " ready" man may be put under eitber name. It is thin, that a man who ean do more than others 8 tempted to do luss. Ho is content wilh etrtljng and ezccptional performance, fitful fcats wliioli astonish for the moment. All the rest of his lifc i a surprise, that ono who can do wll is BatWied for the most of his timo to do linie, to do nothiug, or what is wor-e thao all, to do ill. The MUuhurtB which muke the world glad for a moment, or a dark and stormy day, are cheerful by contrast. The stciidy glow of a is les noticed, but rastly mur'7{JJ!S Fi 'le niomeDtary glbum H ' ti ." chcerful, and ii aucoeedeó AT e ca'm aB( UD" i hxie vrorks wouders, thongh soa f appreciated. Tnere ia no i. JerD writer richer in apolhegms, point and paradox, thao Ruskin. Much tbat he writes eeems nousenoe, bui the more is wisdom. Wlule he argües for iinpossibilities, und propouuds platitudes, the facts wbich he quote and rninquotes, and the sound maxima by which he reaches unsound oouolusioiiK, are alwas worih culliug trom the context. A case in point in found in the following sentences : " It i no mau's bus.ness who. her ho has genius ornot; work be munt, whatever he is but quietly aod steudily ; and nalural and uut'orced results of such work will be ulwaya the ihing God moiint bim to d, aiid vt ill be nis best. No agonies or beart-rendings will euab:e him to do any beiter. If he is a great maa, they will be great tbinga, but always, if tiius pebuefully done, goud and righi ; always, it' rusil' s-ly and umbitiously djiie, faUe, hollow and de.-piuaole." The geuius, or the wan of large intellect or opportuniües, if he is diligent will do great thitigs. He is n great man, grea'.er in this thati ail else, tliat be knowa his power and feels his responüibility. Mucb is giveu him, and much is requirtd ol him. It' ho does his bes, ho in}'. 's liimself of lii.i obüation to tiiinsi.lt', to his kiud, and to hia .Maker. But, if becuuao Ue eau do without e ff rt what olher men accomplish with great lubor, he is Iberefore coatent to do no more than o;hers, be is really less than les-er mei). Thuy cxoel him io manly qualuivM of endurniice, indtistry and peineverauce. 'i'bey in againsi difficultie. He creates his owu euemies iu indiffereuce and oluth. Tney iuaku their (ijiporiuiiitii s He (lepisos his advunt.iges and delrauds tumself aud the wcrld of just 80 much as he might have wju by application. The tnen who are not iucluded among the remarkable, but who work '' quietlv uud steadily," are lh more truly euccefsful uni-s. Tuey furin aud mgulato the charucter of a co.nmunity. 'J'hey regúlate whatever calling they may puru, ;iud what is bdtter, they elévate tbeiDí-eirej aboe ibeir o lliug. They are tbe men who lix tbe deatiny of naliotu ; tha great average, the real sueiigih, the suuud foundation ou which evi-rything with aclaiu to stability rests. "Do your b t" ia tbc rula for every body, aud espeoially fur tliose who ar jiibt entering lite, wbether as pupüs iu cboois, as clerkd, appreutiues or student. It s the rule for one aas. as wi 11 as the olher. Nobody jet ever prepared himself for a better position by neglecting the duties of a piace lejseligibie. Habits mjke tbe man, and all meu uiako thuir owu habits. Youth never can afford to be Ui'gligent or idlo ; st til leas to ba wasteful ot either physical or mental powers. The human being oaü ondurti ouly a certain a uut of "wo:ir aud tear ;" and he or she who wnstes youthful euergy will lanentearly decrepitudj.