The Orphan Train Ruffian

During the era of the orphan trains, up to a quarter of a million orphaned, neglected or abandoned children were removed mostly from larger populations in the East and dispersed throughout the country. The lucky ones were adopted into well intentioned families, some were indentured, of those, some were enslaved and terribly abused. What is it about the human spirit that allows some of those subjected to such treatment to rise above and succeed in spite their condition?