I put
it down merely for the moral it contained, and I became
so absorbed in telling it that I almost forgot what the
moral was that it was meant to convey. But I think the
idea is that if the schoolmaster had long before abandoned
the study of medicine, for which he was not fitted, and
gone in, let us say, for playing the banjo, he might have
become end-man in a minstrel show. Yes, that was it.
Let me pass on to other elements in success.
I suppose that anybody will admit that the peculiar
quality that is called initiative--the ability to act
promptly on one's own judgement--is a factor of the
highest importance.
I have seen this illustrated two or three times in a very
striking fashion.
I knew, in Toronto--it is long years ago--a singularly
bright young man whose name was Robinson. He had had some
training in the iron and steel business, and when I knew
him was on the look out for an opening.
I met him one day in a great hurry, with a valise in his
hand.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Over to England," he said. "There is a firm in Liverpool
that have advertised that they want an agent here, and
I'm going over to apply for the job."
"Can't you do it by letter?" I asked.
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