The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-09-25
AMONG LIARS.
A Charity That Is Novel in Con-
ception and Noble in Aim.
The Discriminating Philanthropy of
LOrln Jenks, Practical Man and
Observation-Disclosures the Con-
ditlons of the Mendaclous.

My DEAR FRIEND: You will no doubt
lie glad to hear about the newly-estab-
lished infrmary at Lugville. / visited
it lew days ago in company with Mr.
Merkle, Boston lawyer whom l hap
pened to meet upon the train. On the
way down he gave me most interest
ing account of the endowment of this in
stitution by the late Lorin jerks, to
whose discriminating philanthropy the
world owes a charity that is not less
novel in its conception than noble and
practical in its aim,
Mr. Lorin jerks, as you know, was
President of the Saco Stocking and
Sock mills. He was bachelor, and a
very remarkable man. He made a
million dollars one day by observing
women as they purchased hose in a
cheap store in fremont row. Mr.. jerks
noticed that females who hesitated q
good while about paying fifty cents a
pair for plain white stockings eagerly
paid seventy-hve cents for the same
quality ornamented with red clocks at
the ankles. Ii cost twenty-five cents a
pair TO manufacture the stockings. The
red flosele for the clocks cost quarter
of cent
That observation, said Mr. Merkle,
twas the foundation cf jerks great
fortune. The Saco mills Immediately
stopped making plain hosiery. From
that time forth jerks manufactured
nothing but stockings with red clocks,
which he retailed at sixty cents. am
told that there is not woman under
sixty i've in Massachusetts, New Hamp-
shire, Maine or Vermont who does not
own at least half a dozen pairs of poor
jerks Sixtv-cent red checkers"
THAT fact" said |. would interest
MIR. Matthew Arnold. 1t shows that
sweetness and light"
pardon me. IL shows that jerks
was a practical man, as well as phil
osophor, Busy as he was during his
life, he took great interest in politics,
like all sensible citizens. He was also
metaphysician. He closely followed
contemporary speculative thought, in
clining, until shortly before his death,
to the Hegelian school. Every mid
summer he left the stocking mill to
run itself, and repaired joyfully to Con-
cord to listen to the lectures in the apple
orchard. 1t is my private opinion that
MeSsrs, Plato, Kant Il Co bled him
pretty heavily for the privilege. But
at Concord jerks acquired new ideas
as to his duty to the race"
MIR. Merkle paused to hand his ticket
to the conductor.
During the last three years of his
life, inasmuch as he was known to be
eccentric, philanthropic, and without a
family, jerks was much beset by peo-
pie who sought to interest him in vari-
Gus schemes for the amelioration of the
human race, A week before he died
he sent for me.
'Merkle, says he, 4 want You to
draw me will so leatherly that no
shark in Pemberton Square can bite it
In two
'Well,' says /, what is it now,
Jenks?'
WISH says he, to devote my
entire fortune to the endowment of an
institution. the idea of which occurred
to me at Concord
That's right said ], rather sharp
~. Put honest money made in red
clock hose into the Concord windmill
that's a fine final act for a summer phil
osopherr
Wait minute, said jerks, and
faucied saw smile around the cor
nerS Of his mouth. 1t isn't the Con-
cord school | want to endow, although
don't deny there may be certain ex-
pectationS in and around the orchard.
But why spend money in teaching wis
dom to the wise? And then he pro-
ceeded to unfold his noble plan for the
foundation of an Intirmary for the Men
dacious."
The train was hauling up at the plat
form of the Lugville station.
"A few days later" continued the
LAWYER. as we arose from our seats.
this far seeing and philosophical eiti-
zen died. BY the terms of his will, the
income of 81, 500. 900 in Governments,
Massachusetts skies, Boston and AL
bany stook, and sound first mortgages
on New England property, is devoted
to the lnhrmary, under the direction of
thirteen trustees. How the trust has
been administered you will see for
yourself in a few minutesn
We were met at the door OF TIE In