Fish for Persistency by Emma H. Adams

Pacific Press Publishing Association

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 49.

Fish for Persistency

By Emma H. Adams

ON one corner of a street, climbing several low heights in beautiful Redondo, a brisk little pueblo adorning the shore of the great Pacific in Southern California, lived Collin Cressey (not his true name), a lively lad of some twelve years.

A few days before the close of the public schools last June, Collin was "held up" suddenly and forcibly by the idea of studying the Spanish language during vacation.

So unexpected was the attack, and also so agreeable was it, that it expelled from his eager mind all thought of vacation trips, plays, amusements, and even his fascinating pastime of fishing at the head of Pier Number One,—a fine point of outlook upon the ever-changing sea, that home for countless creatures which get the breath of life thru gills.

In school, the past year, Collin had had several fellow pupils who spoke the soft-flowing Spanish in true boy style, not worrying about correctness, nor making themselves unhappy over idioms for which equivalents in English are sometimes difficult to find.

To be able to talk with these lads with the same rapid utterance, Collin thought would afford him mountains of pleasure. Therefore, there was purchased for him an elementary work in Spanish, the text of which contained not a word of English, and the study began with first-class enthusiasm.

His teacher, conscientiously careful to make his effort a success, helped him to apply the musical language in speaking of all surrounding objects,—of trees, plants, flowers, streets, houses, railways, animals, men and women, out-of-doors; of windows, doors, beds, chairs, tables, and many other things, indoors.

For three or four weeks the acquisitive boy gathered delightful harvests from his study, on no day bidding a total farewell to play with his little friends. But about this time he began to realize that to climb a mountain requires more effort and more time than to plant the foot upon a mole-hill; that it is much easier to listen to a charming language than to acquire a working knowledge of it.

Hence the distance to the goal where smiles success and where sweet rewards await, began to lengthen strikingly. Quickly then swept enticing memories of recreation at the waterside. These were irresistible. For were not the darting finny people flashing a merry welcome to him from the sheen of their scales? Was there not, out among the pearl-crested waves, sailing away gracefully, many a craft sending back speechless invitations to voyages here and there? Were there not, daily, people of all ages seated upon the edge of the pier, awaiting wireless messages from the end of their pole lines?

Then the lessons were deferred for a morning with the fish; for a second day with a baseball club playing just beyond the green hills; for a third day with a picnic at a pretty coast town. Now came a lesson, and now a real vacation of some days among relatives, a half-day's ride away by train.

After the return followed three or four lessons showing that not a few very important points and facts had been expelled from the memory by the various diversions, and, worse than that, there had walked in a weakening of the study habit. The purpose to complete the study of the book before the opening of the next year's schools had dropped out of sight.

And with it had gone that indefinable, wonderful accretion to human power which takes place in boy or man, girl or woman, when a course of right action has been completed; when a task undertaken has been finished; when the better elements in self triumph over the less estimable.

If the test pertain to a matter of daily, homely, uninviting task, and one overcomes, wins in the struggle, then does one's mental and moral nature become just so much the stronger. One's inherent power takes on an addition more valuable than fine jewels. It is character building of a telling sort.

If parents could but realize the vast importance of training their children to "stick to" a course of right action, a line of right work, and would help them by example, influence, and opportune advice to accomplish difficult tasks, there would be in the world fewer men and women weak in force, resolution, and ability "to do things."

The writer has observed, in a hundred instances, how sons and daughters are permitted to half accomplish some laudable task, some valuable line of study, some preparation for a life-work, and then abandon it simply thru lack of perseverance, thus carelessly, unwisely throwing away time, effort, money, and oftentimes precious rewards.