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Show GRIT THAT WOULD NOT BE DOWNED Tbo Amorlca.ii Magazlno has been offering prizes for tho best letters entitled en-titled "What I Am Most Thankful For," and In tho November number publishes tho threo prize winning contributions. Tho following letter won first prlzot "Of till tho blessings which I can count ns belonging to mo this year and for which I urn thankful, I am most thankful that I havo not lost my grit. "Eleven years of timo and strength and overythlng wo bad havo gulno in tho making of our 1G0 aero homestead hero in North Dakota; and yet today If wo sold overythlng wo possessed wo could just about pay our debts'. "A long series of crop failures from drought and hall, and a much and well advised venturo of buying a traction trac-tion cnglno which then did not work, and was eventually (but too lato for our good) replaced by tho company with n now one, havo etiten up all wo hnvo been nblo to mnko. "It has been most discouraging and tho past year has been ono of exceeding ex-ceeding and unceasing worry nnd work of mind and body for both my husband and myself. "Through it nil I hhvo been most thankful that I was ablo to kcop my courago and holp my husband keep his, as ho bnro tho worst of tho burden, bur-den, being tho provider and tbo ono who had to meet and stavo off creditors, cred-itors, "Now, when wo aro practically assured as-sured of tlmo (which Is what wo most need) to retrlevo ourselves, wo can stop and tuko stock. "Against these cklversltles wo can say that for eleven years wo havo lived decently, not lacking either food or clothing, which was necessary. "Wo hnvo boon bringing up throo children in good nnd healthy conditions, condi-tions, and wo havo had enough simple pleasures to keep us woll and happy In splto of our troubles. "Wo havo htul sickness and accidents, acci-dents, but none wore fatal, "When things wero nt their worst all I had grit enough for was to say I that we wore young enough rind strong enough to start In over again and mhke a succoss yot; becauso I will not doubt our ultimately succeed Ing. "I would keep saying to mysolf, 'Wo might bo much worse off.' 'Wo might not havo enough to cat or to weat or n good homo,' or most of nil, wo might havo lost hope, under our moun tain of dobt, ns many do, nnd lapsed Into a listless, ambltlonless llfo with nothing ahead for oursolvos or children; chil-dren; so I hm most thnnkrul that our grit lias carried 119 (through and has given us doggeduoss nnd porsevornnco enough to carry us through whatovor moro may como." |