not be
discouraged! I want so badly to know how to speak!" It was warm, human,
and from the very heart. And he did keep on trying--and developed into a
creditable speaker.

There is no power under the stars that can defeat a man with that
attitude. He who down in the deeps of his heart earnestly longs to get
facility in speaking, and is willing to make the sacrifices necessary,
will reach his goal. "Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find;
knock and it shall be opened unto you," is indeed applicable to those
who would acquire speech-power. You will not realize the prize that you
wish for languidly, but the goal that you start out to attain with the
spirit of the old guard that dies but never surrenders, you will surely
reach.

Your belief in your ability and your willingness to make sacrifices for
that belief, are the double index to your future achievements. Lincoln
had a dream of his possibilities as a speaker. He transmuted that dream
into life solely because he walked many miles to borrow books which he
read by the log-fire glow at night. He sacrificed much to realize his
vision. Livingstone had a great faith in his ability to serve the
benighted races of Africa. To actualize that faith he gave up all.
Leaving England for the interior of the Dark Continent he struck the
death blow to Europe's profits from the slave trade. Joan of Arc had
great self-confidence, glorified by an infinite capacity for sacrifice.
She drove the English beyond the Loire, and stood beside Charles while
he was crowned.

These all realized their strongest desires. The law is universal. Desire
greatly, and you shall achieve; sacrifice much, and you shall obtain.

Stanton Davis Kirkham has beautifully expressed this thought: "You may
be keeping accounts, and presently you shall walk out of the door that
has for so long seemed to you the barrier of your ideals, and shall find
yourself before an audience--the pen still behind your ear, the ink
stains on your fingers--and then and there shall pour out the torrent of
your inspiration. You may be driving sheep, and you shall wander to the
city--bucolic and open-mouthed; shall wander under the intrepid guidance
of the spirit into the studio of the master, and after a time he shall
say, 'I have nothing more to teach you.' And now you have become the
master, who did so recently dream of great things while driving sheep.
You shall lay down the saw and the plane to take upon yourself the
re