Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-06-22
Ten Per Cent. for Charity.

"The liberal deviseth liberal u.nss.H
Calling one day on a superintendent Of one
of our railroads he invited me, after the usu-
al salutatious, to walk into his counting-room
and take a seat He was in a cheerful mood,
and briefly touched upon some incidents in
his life
Beginning at the foot Of the ladder said
he have climbed up several rounds, and
now have the charge of this interest and the
control to some extent, Of about seven hum
dred men,
And what said l, is the secret of
your success 2'
Taking down and opening large folio vol
ume containing numerous entries, he smiliugy
said
" The secret, it is heror
" In that old journal" rejonned " but
what has that to do with it }n
Turning carefully back to the commence
ment Of the book, he thus proceeded to en-
Tighten me
&" You sec, continued he, " that when l be-
gan to work upon this road also began to
keep an exact account Of my daily earnings
and expenditures and here in black and
white the whole thing lies before you
Then turning my attention to the date of
the first record, more than thirty years ago,
he went on with his explanation.
Here" said he, on this left hand page
you see the history Of my first days work
and the wages Gt might have been dol
lar,) " | received for it, On the opposite
page you also notice what speut !" there
were sundry little items, as for knife or
pen, or some such articles, that day. There
IS the record and kept it faithfully"
Passing along over several years Of thi.
wel-wrtten journal, he pointed to a page
where the record indicated that he was earn
ing two dollars per day, and where the ex-
penses for the day, as for a hat, or handker-
chief were carefully entered on the opposite
leaf. Thus he proceeded to turn over the pages,
indicating from year to year constant In
crease of salary, with outgoes correspondingly
enlarged aud persistently set down, until the
present time
Now said he, closing the book, " this
account keeping has been the making Of me
and whenever | can induce one Of employees
to adopt the plan of noting down rigidly
every day Just what he earus and just what he
expends Of it, and thus to look his assets and
liabilities directly in the face, am sure tC
make financially a successful man of him
But you may also make said |, ga
miser of him"
Yes, indeed, might" he answered, "and
did you see whatpreyentedm me from being onef
" No. what was it2"
why, very essential item" he replied
" | thought you saw it,
So reoponing the folio, he once more di
rected my attention to the various records o
daily expenditure standing against those o.
his daily income and among them, | dis
covered ten per cert for charity.
"Ofmy earnings" continued he, " have
always made it point, whether they were
great or small, to devote ten per cent. ioT
charity here you see it in black and white
and this little item, sir, has kept me from
being misor. This little item has kept the
golden wheels of life revolving smoothly, and
has been Of far more service to myself than to
those have assisted"
Yes, truly, beautifully" | replied, " and
you are just my man "
So drawing subscription paper from my
pocket, l unfolded it and laid it down on the
desk before him, when he with most graciou.
SMILE took out his roll of groenbacks and
most literally demonstrated on the spot the
beauty of the actual working of tho temper.
cent-for-eharity system Of one of our noble
business men.
Is there not philosophy; is there not pro
priety; is there not divinity in it2 AnC
will you who are aspiring to reach the top o
the ladder by the bank bill and the brow
sweat, try it?