The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-10-23
Riches and Comfort.

The story is familiar of the man and
his wife who, soon after marriage, fell to
talking of their future. ''I want to be
rich," said he. 81 care nothing for
riches" was her reply "All wish is to
be comfortable" They had grown be-
yond middle age, when, calling up the
old conversation, the husband remarked
to friend: 81 got rich twenty years ago,
but my wife is not yet comfortable.
The truth of the story is realized every
day in this country, particularly in the
great cities, although it is not the hus-
bands, but the wives, who, with the ac-
cumnlation of wealth, grow comfortable.
It does not require greatdeal of money
to make women comfortable, and they
bear narrow circumstances, even pinch
ing poverty, with patience unknown to
men. They are far fonder of beauty and
luxury than we are, and they are often
very lavish in expenditure, usually be-
cause they have had no financial instruc-
ton; but they seldom love money for
moneys sake, after the manner of men.
Women like money for what it viii bring
them; men honor and worship money for
its mere possession.
Riches and comfort, except in ma.
terial sense, are rarely united IN man.
How many miliionaires in this, the com-
mercial metropolis of the Nation, feel, or
can feel, comfortable? They may have
everything that renders life desirable.
including health, domestic contentment,
sincere friendship, public confidence,
private esteem-things not purehasable
but they are very likely to be haunted
by dread of loss, or feyerish hope of
added gain; to be possessed by rather
than to possess their wealth. Their in
vestments, old and new, make them un-
easy; they cannot bear to have any capi-
tai idle; they are as anxious that every
thousand dollars should draw interest
as if they needed the five or six per cent.
it will yield for their daily necessities.
A great fortune is o great tyrant; 1t
drives and spares not. Many rich man
looks back on the time when he was
poor, and sighs to remember how free
his mind then was from care, how much
he enjoyed the simplest pleasures. But
he would not exchange his present for
his past any quicker than he would ex-
change freedom for slavery, health for
disease, honor for infamy. He may con-
fess that his vast property, toiled and
suffered for through years, worries and
hardens him; but he would not surren-
der any portion of it more willingly
than he would surrender the
use of his right arm. It is
the malediction of superabundant
| riches that while they harry their owner,
and may destroy his mental peace, he
clings to them as tenaciously as to life,
and is bitterly tormented by the smallest
fraction of their decrease. The ordinary
rich man does not enjoy what he has SO
1. r.<-A FL
get. We have all heard of the New York
Crosus who declined to contribute to
most worthy charity. The man who had
asked for his subscription expressed his
surprise. ST should be glad to do it, y
| was his excuse, "hut really can not
afford it. Why, at this moment have
| more than half million of dollars in a
bank, and am not getting cent Of in
terest on il.
Most very rich men form o habit OF
| counting the interest on everything.
When they bnild a fine house, or buy
| books or pictures or furniture when
| they lay out grounds, or travel, or make
| donation, they cannot help thinking
what the sum expended would have
brought in at q certain per cent. A very
wealthy manufacturer up town put up
not long ago, palatial country seat,
and made it his home for eight months
| in the year. He furnished it at great ex-
| pense. not because he cared for the rare
and dainty things that filed the spacious
rooms, but because he imagined that
they would add to his social conse-
quence. He told friend one day: 1t
is splendid place; I admire it myself,
but it makes me unhappy when think
that six per cent on its cost would give
me twelve thousand dollars O year, and
| it yields no return at all. I like that
| photograph in my library better than
any OF those foreign paintings. It never
troubles me; gave only thirty dollars
for it, frame and all--it was 0 regular
bargain-six per cent. on thirty dollars
wont hurt any man."
Money getting, simply for the sake Of
| getting it, unquestionably carries its
revenges, which the most sordid selfish
creature cannot wholly escape. No
| sensible person depreciates money; it
has an incalculable power of civilizing,
humanizing, refining, of doing good IN
all directions. Like fire and passion, it
/ is an excellent servant, but fearful
/ master. No man in the way of accumu-
lation, can be too careful of its domina-
ton, whose approaches are stealthy and
insidious. At the beginning, We say we
want to be relieved of anxiety, TO be
modestly independent; we do not wish
to be rich. A few, very few, when
Independence has been attained, have
strength to pause in the pursuit Of gold
and to turn their attention to their higher
needs. Others-they are fewer stil1-go
on in search of wealth, and having
acquired it, employ it nationally and
literally, helping those who need help;
encouraging art, literature, science,
strengthening, 80 far as they may, the
cause of humanity and freedom. Their
wealth blesses them and those around
them; it is comforting and comfortable.
This kind Of wealth-getting is beyond
the reach of many, as New Workers. so
completely know. We have any number
of rich men, though most of them are
poor in spirit and bankrupt Of sympathy.
They whose purses are filed with intel
ligence and compassion as well as gold,
are all the more appreciated and revered,
from their paucity in this busting,
needless capital. They have learned
that, while wealth is good, very good
there are better things than it, and
among them is the understanding of the
! use of wealth, which imparts and re-
ceiyes comfort,-N. 7. Times.
The United States Fish Commissions
/ furnishes the following list. comprisine
thirty-tlree varieties, of the diffsren
. | anecias Of Ash observed ,;,--the waters d