Page:Life of Isaiah V Williamson.djvu/62

44 clay in the earth. To men he left the task of finding and using these things. It was theirs to mine and forge and dig and build brick walls for homes and businesses. The majority of men that have made outstanding records in the cities were born among the trees and fields.

To Isaiah Williamson the city was an open race course for country boys. He was not the only one who came with the inexperience of youth and filled with great ambition. He determined to enter the race and make a fair struggle to win. Win he did, amid great applause from his fellow runners of those early days, who praised his name and gave him full credit at the time of his voluntary retirement from the activities of Market Street.

Nature has given to almost every man a dowry of latent energy that flames up to the surprise of the man himself when he needs it most.

Young Williamson came to Philadelphia, saying to himself, "I must and will conquer circumstances." All his strength rose and asserted itself when his will power became enlisted in his work.