The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-07-26
Ten per Cent. For Charity.
nv REV. ELIAS MASON.

The liberal deviseth liberal things"
Calling one day on Superintendent of
one Of our railroads, he invited me, after
the usual salutations. to walk into his
counting-room and take seat. He was
in cheerful mood, and briefly touched.
upon some incidents in his life.
Beginning at the foot of the ladder"
said he, Il have climbed up several
rounds, and now have charge of this in.
terest, and the control to some extent, Of
about seven hundred men,
And what" said I, ''is the secret of
your success
Taking dowh and opening large folio
volume containing numberous entries, he
smiling said
The secret, it is here ?"
q" In that old Journal" | rejoined "but
what has that to do with it ?"
Turning carefully back to the COM
mencement of the book he thus proceeded
to enlighten me-:
You see" continued he, " that when
| began 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 attentions to the
date Of the first record, more than thirty
years ago he went on with his explana.
tiou.
Here" said he. ION this left hand
page you see the history Of my first days
work, and the wages, Gt might have been
dcllar), | received for it. On the op.
posite page you also notice what SPENT"
there were sundry little items, as for a
knife, or pen, or some such article, that
day. There is the record; and I kept
it faithfully"
Passing along over several years of
this well-written journal, he pointed to a
page where the record indicated that he
was earning two dollars per day, and
where the expenses for the day, as for a
hat, or handkerchief, were carefully enter.
ed on the opposite leaf. Thus he proceed
ed to turn over the pages indicating from
year to year constant increase Of salary
with outgoes correspondingly enlarged
and persistently ser down, until the pres
ent time"
Now" said he, closing the book,
this account keeping has been the max
ing of me-. and whenever | can induce
one of my employees to adopt the plan of
noting down rigidly every day just what
he expends of it, and thus to look his as
sets and liabilities directly in the face,
am sure to make financially man of
him."
But you may also make" said |, "a
miser of him."
Yes, indeed, might" he answered,
land did you see what prevented me from
being one ?"
No, what was it 7"
Why, very essential item," he re-
piled, " | thought you saw it ?"
So reopening the folio, he once more
directed my attention to the various re-
cords ofdaily expenditure standing against
those of his daily income and among
them, | discovered ten per cent. for
charity.
"Ofmy earnings" continued he, T."
have always made it point, whether
they are great or small, to devote ten
per cent. for charity; here you see it in
black and white; aud this little item, sir,
has kept me from being a miser. This
little item has kept golden wheels of far
more service to myself than to those I have
assisted"
Yes, truly, beautifully | replied,
aud you are just the man :"
So drawing subscription paper trom
my pocket, | unfolded it aud laid it down
on the desk before him, when he with
gracious smile, took out his roll Of
greenbacks and most literally demonstrat.
ed on the spot the beauty Of the actual
working Of the ten per cent. for charity
system Of one Of our noble business men.
Is there not philosophy; is there not
propriety; is there not divinity in it
And will you who are aspiring to reach
the top Of the ladder by the ladder by
the bank bill and the brow-sweat. try iti
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L. A.. l.