Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-05-26

! could give himself up with uho-i--SN
pleasure to a well-earned repose and the
enjoyment of the sweet strains from inc
band.
Among the occupants of some benches
. not far away from Mr. Sharp's square
of seats sat young man with clear,
observant eyes, rather idly gazing ABOUT
at the scene before him. Suddenly
turning to person sitting at his right
he said: Look at all those people
standing over there. They look tagged
and warm; why don't they take seats?
Looking carelessly in the direction indl-
Gated, the man, one of years and expo
rience, answered. ''Why, there are not
enough seats for them"
Eyes, there are" 5aid the youth.
sLook, there are plenty of them right
there next to us-plenty Of them. why
don't they take them?"
D no, there are not" salo the man OF
experience, you are mistaken, there
are not half enough. The seats will
never go round. The trouble is there
are too many people; they should not
let SO many in: the park is overcrowded.'
But" persisted the boy, There are
lots of seats at all events, and most OF
the people could sit down"
''Why. so they could, if they had the
money to pay for them," sad the elder,
but they haven't"
Pay returned the othe.. '~ty have
they got to pay?'
The man of experience began, - wax
impatient. ''Oh, because they are not
theirs-because they belong to Mr..
Sharp: they're his property. That Is
whyr'
MIR. Sharp, who is hep" said the youth.
That fine-lool1ing man in the front
row, that's Mr.. Sharp, the owner of the
| seats"
For moment the youth was silent,
but almost Immediately returning
| light came upon him, and he continued:
| well, if he does own them he can't
possibly use them all. and he might let
| those people have them, if they haven't
| the money"
| 4 look of intense disgust appeared
| upon the countenance of the man of eX-
| perience. ..Oh, l see." said he, II see
what you are driving at. You're one
of those communist fellows. that's what
you are. You'd like to take all prop"
| erty and divide it up in equal bits and
| hand it around But ! can tell you this
much. You'd no sooner get it divided
| and parceled out than it would be back
again, unequal as ever, and we'd be just
where we were
NO, I'm not" cried the youth with
| emphasis, I'm not a communist at all,
and don't believe in anything of the
kind. But do think it is pretty stingy
of that Sharp to keep all those seats to
himself and let those tired people stand.
It's mean and grasping; that's what 1T
is"
Now. see here and the tone of the
indignant elder grew sharper, that's a
little too much. It's outrageous! Mr..
Sharp. can tell you. is Il highly be-
nevolcnt, philanthropic man. He's do
ing what he can all the time for the
good of other people. Do You see that
seat at the end of the second row, with
a ragged little boy sitting in it, well.
Mr.. Sharp gives that seat for asnhing;
for nothing, sir, to any one who seeds
it. 1t is a perpetual benefaction. What
is more, he gives it his own personal
supervision, and administers its affairs
in the most just and impartial manner
opening it to every one who comes
along without exception, and making
no distinction as to age, sex or color.
And this man is called stingy, grasp
ing and mean. It's shameful. shocking"
The ardent youth felt subdued. The
convincing nature of these remarks left
him no arguments to offer, and. though
still inwardly unconvinced, he could
only say helplessly and with an air OF
depression: SIS that so? All the same,
it does seem a pity that those poor, tired
people have to stand, when the rest of
us have good seats"
THAT is very true" said the man of
experience, sit is pity, but that's the
WY it goes. Some have more than
others. 1t always was so since the
world began, and it always will be. It's
the natural order, and it can't be helped"
Meanwhile the selections by the
band had all been played. the shadows
grew long upon the grass, and the
masses of people were separating and
moving towards the gates. Mr.. Sharp
was one of the first to rise, and with
comfortable sense of duty done and
pockets well filled, he left the scene of
his labors and was soon lost to view in
the shifting crowd.
This. however, did not prove the end
of this intelligent mans activity. lie
was not one to pause in well doing and
let the work of to-day excuse the idle
ness OF tomorrow. NO time was lost
before his well-earned dollars were in
vested in a small speculation. and by
measures in harmony with his initial
efforts, and means always possible to
the wide-awake and knowing. they in
creased and grew, till in time Mr..
Sharp's name spread abroad and he
waxed fat IN the land.
Many years passed, and on another
bright June afternoon, when the park
was gay with carriages and people were
merry with the sound of music and the
voices of children, a father and his son
walking along the east drive observed
dashing four-in-hand, driven by dis
tinguished looking gentleman of adj
vancing years Look. father" said
the boy, who is that?' THAT, INV
son." answered the father. lis the cele-
brated Mr. Sharp, one of our leading
citizens. l am told that he began life
as poor boy, without dollar in his
pockets, and that by his own unaided
efforts he has attained his great wealth
and honored position in society. He is.
in fact, my son, fine example of what
is possible to industry. integrity, and
perseverance under the free and equal
institutions of this great and glorious
land"
WITH the single tax applied the bur.
den of taxation would be as heavy upor
vacant land as upon improved land OF