The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-10-03
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THE SELFiSH MAN.
His Portrait Painted i'm Glowing Coiors b

his Portrait Painted i'm Glowing Coiors by
Woman Who Seems to Know Him.
4 woman who has been giving her
attention to the subject of the selfish
man gives the Stroller the following
as the result of her ponderings ON the
subject:
what a good time he seems to
have liz this world, with nothing to do
but to sit down before the rich pud-
ding of life and stick in his thumb
and pull out plum when he pleases.
No one asks him to do errands He
hasn't time to run around or to carry
packages-he isn't going that way; or
to match spool Of silk-he hasn't an
eye for celors; or to buy you ticket
for the lecture-he's afraid he won't
suit you. His time Is all his own;
and how much he does-for himself.
Then, too, he invariably gets just
what he wants; did you ever notice
that2 It's given to him grudgingly,
but he gets it all the same. II you
doubt 1t watch the proceedings as he
enters a room where several others
are sitting and see If the most com
Portable chair doesn't roll right up to
him, as q matter of course, as II 1t
were magnetized by his presence. At
the table the same unaccountable law
governs the tenderest piece Of meat and
the best cooked potato, for they nat
urally slide on to his plate. The rest
of the company may growl mentally
and wish him in Siberia; but that Is
all the good 1t will do them; he will
feed on the fat Of the land. At night
he reposes on the downiest bed in the
house, though others toss on couches
Of straw, without even a cotton top on
which to rest their weary bones.
Little children never bother him
with their troubles-they know better
and so some one else ties up their
shoe strings and soothes and smooths
their bumps. Sick folks don't bore
him with their aches and pains; poor
folks don't follow him about asking
for aims, and If his pocket gets full it
is likely to stay so. Oh, how nice and
comfortable it all sounds. Don't you
wish you were he2
This might do very well If he
could be assured that he would never
trip up, but when he gets fat on his
back, either in literal or figurative
sense, there is grand scattering
among his SO called friends, and the
universal comment is: Good enough
for you, old fellow; now lie there
awhile and see how you like itl'
Few care to spend any extra
amount of time with him, condoling
or consoling, and he is fortunate IL he
doesn't suffer from positive neglect
One or two good Gamaritans may,
through spirit of benevolence, turn
aside and pour the oil Of charity into
his wounds, but you needn't tell us it
isn't hard work for even them to do 1t
for one who has never lifted finger
to relieve or help others. Nothing is
or can be done for him from that low
ing impulse of sympathy that makes
our burdens easy to shoulder and
sweetens the bitterest waters to our
taste.
I'm this condition it is possible for
conscience to come to- after its long
period of deafness, and the prickling
sensations of its awakening are favor
able signs of returning life. 1t is well
if this self appointed despot is at last
made TO see that he wears his iron
crown only by the might of base,
ignoble will. Chicago Times.