You would rather be a lawyer? The same effort to be a doctor must be made. You can not be a lawyer just because you are bright and say funny things sometimes. Whatever you decide to do, whether farmer, doctor, lawyer, blacksmith, carpenter, or merchant, be one or the other and do not try to straddle all of them. A Jack of All Trades is master of none, and he is not wanted in this age of specialties. Be some one thing and be that thing for all there is in it. WORK FOR SUCCESS WHILE YOUNG Youth is the time to work for success. Old age is the winter time of life and if no provision has been made to acquire a competence before that period, it will be an unhappy time, perhaps a miserable existence as the result. Success has no tomorrow, it is always today, and if the sun of today sets upon failure, it can not be hoped that it will rise tomorrow upon success, there being nothing to cause it to do so. There is no greater duty to be performed by man than to lay by provision for the future. Even the animals prepare for a rainy day, the worst specimens are those who neglect this instinct. It is an instinct, the instinct of self-preservation. Experience demonstrates, in fact, it has become an axiom of science, that after a certain age, a man is incompetent to perform his duties in as profitable a manner as before. Some fix the age at forty years, while others say that a man has reached the fullness of his capacity at the age of fifty years. It depends, of course, upon your employment, as to that. When a man’s occupation consists of hard physical labor, he should have acquired enough to carry him over during the rest of his life, by the time he has reached the age of fifty years. It is certain in business and trade circles, that a man need not look for employment as a skilled laborer after the age of forty-five years. The body wears out after years of toil, or years of idleness—which is the same thing—and the mental vigor lessens materially. For this reason, you will become worn out before attaining success, unless you spend your time of youth in attaining it. Opportunity for Business Life Become a merchant, if that is your inclination, but begin in a small way and build up. You have children, then the business will be for them when they grow up and are able to help you. The way is easy if you look around for the best opening. Pick out your neighborhood and study the wants of the people. There is always a law of demand and supply, for people want things of every description every day and every hour. Now what does a particular neighborhood need? That is the first thing to learn. Next, what do they want? That is the second. Thirdly, how many people are there needing and wanting things? There you are with the elementary knowledge ready at hand. Talk with a few of them and find out how they feel about a business among them within reach and with accommodations of supply and delivery.