Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-11
1arv. Fursdap, gl1arrh II. 1902
Peculiarities of People

The cynic may be a philosopher, blu
| he is not the most agreeable person il
the world to have around. In fact it i
decidedly irritating after one has don
a good deed to have the philosophe
come around and upset our ideas o
ethics and philanthropy by showing u
| wherein we have done a foolish thing
| and ruined, perhaps, another's pros
peets for d useful and successful ca
reer.
During the past week l attended /;
reception at the Y. III. c. A. In pass
| ing ia ! noticed in the corridor young
/! lad shrinking back in one corner Will
| a bunch of flowers in his hand to WHOM
no one seemed to pay the least atten-
ton. On coming out an hour later
noticed the lad still there, with his eyes
full Of tears. ! stopped and inquired
whats the trouble. my boy" My
question brought out a pitiful story oil
poverty at home. His mother, unable
to meet the rent. would on the morrow
be turned into the street. Three dollars
would tide them over until they could
make up the balance, and he had hoped
TO earn it from the sale of these flowers
which charitable lady had given him,
telling him to come here and offer them
to the folks as they passed in and out.
He had sold only three nosegays and
had earned hut 10 cents thus far.
And why don't you go in there and
sell them to the people," | inquired.
20, they don't anybody want EN-" he
sobbed.
gave the lad a quarter-my sole re-
naming change.-feeling guilty be-
cause l couldn't make it more. Just
then a gentleman coming up heard the
story and gave him q dollar. The at
tention of the passing crowd was di-
rected to the boy. and IS was quickly
collected for him, the lad was relieved
OF his flowers and went home happy
and joyful with the So earned so quick
ly and easily. In fact the sum had cost
the lad nothing but tears.
From this little episode / returned
home with light heart. an approving
nod for myself in particular. and a
feeling toward the world at
large. The next morning l was relat-
ing the incident to the household. when
my philosophical friend appeared.
After listening to the circumstances he
cynically observed: We'll. I've no
doubt you people that gave aims to the
boy congratulate yourselves on having
done righteous deed; but I'm truly
sorry for the lad and regard it as a set
back in his career" To have my ideas
in this cynical manner reused
my wrath. and exclaimed Indignantly
Would you had the boy go home in
.ears and his mother turned out into
he street,
Well, waving that phase of the
he replied. Il regard your
action as mistaken philanthropy. You
enabled the boy to get money without
my effort and without giving a fair
equivalent, and thus encouraged him
% dependence and dishonesty. The
.ase with which he acquired it and his
to receive it l regard as a
,etriment rather than blessing.
Doubtless when he starts out again as
salesman instead of rustling for Gus
omers he will pose in some corner and j
ry the weeping racket again"
| disdained to make a reply-proba-
,ly because felt there was none to make
and loftily left the room. Then | pro-
coded to do Il whole lot of thinking |
rue the method adopted was not the
est to teach the lad self-reliance and |
onesty. 1t would doubtless have been
much better to had him force his way
n among the guests and sell his flow !
rs himself. Who was it said success
5 merely luck spelled with Pr or
like that? Now that boy
!as in luck, but it certainly was not
lck spelled with a Pr In his future
lany obstacles to be overcome before
e could win success Had our action
1ade 1t any easier for him to conquer?
$ | recall the lives of those men who
s penniless. homeless boys have risen
rom poverty and obscurity to positions
trust and eminence. / can think of
one-not a single instance-of a boy
blaming his hearts desire by sitting
own and crying for it.
Thinking the matter over I recall
ost of boys who began life as poor and
enniless as this flower lad-nay. poor
/, for they We're orphaned and home
ss as We'll. George w. Childs shaved
Ike little Turk, selling newspapers
Il day long and half the night. slept in
barrel and ate frequently from a gar
age heap. Looking up one day at the
g Ledger building on the corner he
rned to his newsboy chum and said
ravely Say, Joe, I'm going to own
lis building some day
"Aw, George" said Joe, guess you're
ddin'." ,
But George was not kiddin'." and
w years later he did own the build