The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-12-20

The Biesssdnsss of Giving.
There must be something good in
human nature, or people would not
experience so much pleasure in Civ
ing; there must be something very bad
In human nature, or moro people
would try the experience OF giving.
Those who do try IL become enamored
OF IL. and get their chief pleasure in
life out OF it, and so evident Is this
that there Is some basis for the idea
that IL is ignorance rather than bad
ness which keeps SO many people
from being generous. OF course IL
may become sort OF dissipation, or
more than that. devastation, as
many men who have what are called
good wives have reason 20 know.
in the gradual disappearance OF their
wardrobe II they chance 20 lay aside
any OF IL temporarily. The amount
that good woman can give away is
sonly measured by her opportunity.
Her mind becomes SO trained in the
mystery OF this pleasure that she ex-
periences no thrill OF delight in giving
away only the things her husband does
not want Her Office In life Is To
teach him the JOY OF seIi-sacrihce.
She and all other habitunl and ire
claimable givers soon find out that
there is next 20 no pleasure In n gift
unless II involves some self-denial.
Let one consider seriously whether
he ever gets rs much satisfaction out
OF gift received rs out of one given.
IL pleases him for the moment and II
1t is useful, for long time he turns
il over and admires IL; he may value
il rs token OF affection. and IL lat
tiers his self-esteem that he is the OBJ
iect OF IT, But IL is "a transient feeling
compared with that he has when be
has made a gift That substantially
ministers 20 his seli-estcem. He fol-
lows the gift; he dwells upon the de-
light OF the receiver; his Imagination
plays about IL; IL will never wear out
or become stale; having parted with
IT, IL is FOR him Il lasting possession.
Ii is an investment rs lasting rs that
in the debt OF England. Like good
deed 10 grows and Is continually sat
isfactory. IL Is something To think OF
when he first wakes In the morning
time when most people arc badly
put 20 IL for want OF something p.cns
ant 20 think Of This fact about
g.ying is so incontcstably true that it
Il wonder that enlightened people
d. not more freely indulge In giving
fr their own comfort. IL is. above
a.. else amazing that so many i'm.
zinc they are going TO get any salts
faction out OF what they leave by will
Tscy may be ia state who're they
viii enjoy IL, II the will Is not fought
over; but IL is shocking how little
gratitude there is accorded 90 de-
parted givcr compared Go living
giver. He couldn't take the property
with him, il Is said; he was Obliged to
leave il 20 somebody. BY this thought
his generosity is always reduced 20 n
minimum lie may build monument
TO himself In some institution, but wo
do not know enough OF the world
TO which he has gone 20 know
whether tiny monument on this
earth Is any satisfaction 90 n person
who Il free OF the universe. Whereas
every giving or deed OF real humanity
done while he was living would have
entered into his character. and would
be OF lasting service 70 him-that is,
in any future which we can conceive.
Charles Dudley Warren in Hdrper's
Magazine.