Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1917 — The Cost of Character. [ARTICLE]

The Cost of Character.

Many people have fine dreams of moral and spiritual beauty which never become anything more than dreams, because they will not work them out In pain, struggle and self-restraint. Here is an incident from a private letter. “One day, lately, one of my little, music pupils, an old-fashioned, sweet, little girl/about nine years old,'was playing scales and octaves, when she turned to me and said: ‘Oh, Miss Graham, my hands are tired !’ "I said: Never mind, Norma? just try to play them once or twice more. The longer you practice them, the stronger your hands will grow, so that after a while, you will not feel it at all.’ “She turned the gentle little face wearily to me and Said: ‘Miss Graham. it seems as if everything that strengthens hurts.’ “I gave her something else, but X thought; 'Yes. my dear little girl, everything that strengthens hurts!” The child was right. It is true in music; it is true in all art; it is true in the making of-character; everything that strengthens hurts, costs pain and self-denial. We must die to live. We mqst crucify the flesh that we may find spiritual gains.—J. R. Miller. . ’