someone "to the manor born."

There is no desire to single out and set down by name and number every
sort of self-indulgence. _Excesses of any kind are indulgences_, and it
is easy to fall into them if we have not built up our stamina to resist.

Our failures are usually traceable to ourselves. No matter what excuses
may be offered in our behalf we know in our own minds that we are to
blame. Somewhere along the line of our endeavors we faltered--_then we
fell_. Our conservatism reinforced by our strength of character finally
gave way at a given point and put the whole plant out of business. Our
system of inspection had become cursory instead of painstaking.
Everything had been running along so smoothly we forgot that everything
_must_ wear out in time if it isn't looked after properly.

A previous chapter entitled, "Taking Stock of Ourselves," has a specific
bearing upon the subject in hand. It emphasizes the necessity of taking
stock of ourselves early in life in order that we may know our weak
spots and take immediate steps to dig them out by the roots and replace
them with "_hardy perennials_" which thrive on and on unto the last day.

And that reminds us that it is well to take stock of ourselves every
little while. Even "hardy perennials" have to be looked after--the
ground kept fertile and watered against the draughts of forgetfulness
and neglect. And so it must be with our mental and physical processes in
order that each day of our lives we may go forth with renewed
forcefulness--with every atom of character in full working order.

Having started off on the right foot, we are less likely to have trouble
with our higher resolves during the lean and hungry years of our youth
when we go plunging headlong toward the goal of our ambitions. Usually
it is not until we come into "Easy Street" that we find that we dropped
something somewhere along the line which we must replace at once or we
will be laid up for repairs. But lo and behold! "Easy Street" is fair to
look upon. It dazzles the eye--it takes hold of the sensibilities.
Everybody wears "Sunday clothes" on this street and seems to be
superlatively happy. Surely it wouldn't hurt to linger awhile and see
what is going on. Why, this is the most talked about street in the
world! Some of the people we have dealt with have told us about it. They
said it was _the only street_ for a man of means, for there could be
found the very things for which we strive in life. The