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IS 302.2
Story of an Emigrant.
and judge the whole country accordingly. But this by no
means applies to Sweden and the Swedish press alone; it
may with equal truth be said of the Europeans and the press
of Europe generally.
There is no gainsaying the fact, however, that
newcomers as a rule must expcct adversity and difficulty on
account of being strangers, and because of their
unfamil-iarity with the English language. And such as are
unaccustomed to manual labor and have not learned a trade
stand a poor chance, especially in the beginning. Boole
learning is of little use at first, for there is no lack of
educated people in America. Ilence it is a great mistake for young
men with nothing but an education to depend upon to come
here with the expectation of making a fortune, for the only
way to success will at first generally be by taking hold of
the spade or the axe. Ilave they the courage to do this? Then
let them come, for opportunities will open after a while to
those who shall deserve them. Certificates of character and
recommendation are here of little value; titles and family
connections of still less. One cares not much for what you
have been; but only for what you arc.
In the last civil war a young German officer came to
President Lincoln and offered his services as a volunteer in the
army. The man had high recommendations, and talked a
great deal about his noble birth, and even intimated that
royal blood was flowing through his veins. Having
patiently listened to all this, Lincoln, putting his hard on the young
ir.an’s shoulder, said, encouragingly: "Don’t let this trouble
you, my friend, for I assure you that if you only do your duty
well and faithfully, these things will be no impediment to your
success. We are not so unjust in America as to think less of
a man on account of his European titles. No, I can assure
you that you have precisely the same chance for
advancement and success as if you had been a man of the people,
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