Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-08
Poor Rich People.

Again. il was in the conversations
with Celia Hathaway that | was re-
minded of another Of my hcrcsics.
was telling OF the disadvantages OF
possessing money and speaking OF Inc
folly of saving for that cNcr-threatcn-
ing rainy day" of old age. why
should cid age be SO rainy Let me con-
tinuc an that outlaw strain, writes
HerNey White in the Boston Trans
crpt.
How many times my thoughts travel
back to the old days of ranch life in
Kansas. There WAS one fclloW-"tld
Ein" he was called throughout the
country--who was often chancd by
his comrades because he would not
hurt himself working. He did his
share with the rest, but he would not
sprint or try to beat" people. Il want
To be a good old man. he would cN-
plain. He was old BIZ with us all
ut twcntv-onc. but now | often won
der will he not be Young Bill i'll the
end?
Today | have come from the coast Of
Maine after a week OF idlinS with the
fishermen. The most interesting one
found among them was man seventy
four years of age. lie was out of his
bad at two o'clock in the morning,
ready for the long pull out to sea At
ten o'clock he was back with his fish,
stepping out of the boat almost as
lightly as his grandsons. He showed
on the boat, tuggcd at the anchor.
wadcd the river with high stepping.
In the afternoon. when batting the
hooks. he would chat with the board
cr'' a bit and his eye was as bright as
the brightest.
NO. no: | don't 20 out every day"
he said in reply to my questions. I'm
not what | was at my best. In my
time | could stand it with any. But
now every other day is enough at
seventy four a man takes things easy"
asked if the fishermen had rheu-
matism from working so much in the
water.
"Oh. | have my aches ana pains, |
have my aches and pains he re-
pcatcd
But | was conscious of having had
my own aches and pains; and being
somewhat ashamed of them at my
years, | watched the old mans skill in
silence as he handled the intricate
coils.
TO be a good old man. why not? And
to work though the day does look
rainy?
just here. to so back to my subject.
IS ono reason why the rich are SO DOOR
They can't work. They have not been
trained to it when young. and when old
age comes the day must be rainy"
Then. if their money takes wing-but
no. we will not think of that, for this
evening we have set out to be cheer
full.
What better fortune can one have
than the knowledge Of some craft in
ones fingers? The exercise Of il kccps
one healthy both in body and mind. If
ones intellect is in the fingers 50 much
the letter for the man. My friends
tell ne | should work and get q salary
and save up for that overcoming
rainy day. But shall not have my
pen then as now? and will not thoughts
still perhaps DC given me? What is
my ambition in life. since my friends
will force the subject on me- Is It to
be old. and sick ana broken down.
Am | to aim only at being useless in
TIE end: and is that all that use of my
living: Oh. this fallacious rainy day
that darkens all ones life with its
driZZlc. Tho sun is shining now;
why may il not he shining then? At
all events. | shall not give NV energy
to the lifelong making bf umbrellas.
The poor rich people arc born with
umbrellas. One would. think they at