The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-02-17
WHAT is WORTH g.
NOT RICHES Or TITLES.
Something Deeper and Better.
BY LADY COOK (NEE TENNESSEE c.
CLAFLIN.)

Communicated to The COMMONWEALTH.
A good old Anglo-Saxon word,
strangely abused and mis-applied, Is the
word "worth,'' meaning value. For ii
anyone nowadays should ask concern
ing another, What Is he worth? or,
What is his worth? The answer would
invariably be given by naming a GER
tain amount of money or that equlva-
lent in material wealth which he might
chance to possess. Thus contemptu-
Gus estimate Is expressed by saying
OF one that he is not worth a groat,
while the worldly everywhere are ready
to fall down and worship man who Is
reputed to be rich. With them the
more he has the greater is his worth.
In himself he may be mean, ignorant,
vicious, and of despicable character,
but gold gllds all things, no matter
how base.
The tendency to give a fictitious val
ne to the individual On account of his
possessions is not one of the highest
traits of human nature, although 1t is
we'll nigh universal. We are bound to
recognize in it. the sordid current OF
thought which affects all people, and
has left its impression In every national
history, whether ancient or modern.
But the immense development of COM
MERGE and the common race for wealth
has intensified it In our own time.
Few consider, as of old, that to sit be-
meath the shadow of ones own porch
devoid Of fear is the surest mode of en-
joying happiness. All hasten to be-
come rich. Fraudulent adventures
spring up like mushrooms with each
successive day. Honest trading, which
is a blessing to mankind, is pushed
aside for reckless speculation and gam
bling of all description, whereby the
savings of industry are swallowed up.
A new and mOnstrous vampire has
been developed in these latter days, the
bogus Company promoter, who swells
and iattens by devouring the careless
and the credulous. There Is feverlsh
impotence of mere sufficiency, or even
of a modest competency. Nothing less
than riches will satisfy, and in the furi-
Gus scramb ole for these, the victims OF
this mania act as though they had been
bitten by a golden tarantula. Can we
believe that all this would take place
unless the moral vision were first dis.
torted so that wealth and worth have
been confounded?
The truth is men seldom perceive
wherein true worth lies. As Juvenal
nearly eighteen centuries ago, said in
his tenth Satire: "Among all the in.
habitants of the earth, from Cadiz to
the Indies, how few are to be found
capable of forming sane judgment Of
what Is truly good, or truly evil? How
few can penetrate that mist of erro,
which circumscribes ali our views
The. greater number tie the moose fol
themselves by the treasures which
their anxious cares and labors have
amassed. They blindly toll to exceed
other men in wealth, as much as 6
whale exceeds the dolphins and theil
success ensures their destruction
What is the object OF the first anc
most earnest prayer in every temple
Riches. Great gods, they cry, multi
ply our gains; of all the Golfers depos
tied In Trojan's palace, let nine be tn,
largest and best filled. l. atuted! 1
poison mixed in the sim lie earthe1
cup? No, the drugged bowl is tina
which is adorned with gold and gems
and sparkles with the delicious win,
of Setia."
The secular wise of all times hay
inveighed against the folly of thinking
too lightly of riches, or of deemln
that worth In any way depends upo1
wealth. The same sentiment abound
In Holy Writ. We are told in th
Book of Proverbs, Labor not to b
rich. Better is the poor that walket
in his uprightness than he that is pei
verse in his ways, though he be rich.
David spoke of the ''deceltfulnesss Q
riches" and GLOW hardly shall the
khof hovo r1ohoo ;,ko tho