Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-01-25


table ruin descends around their heads
it Is useless to remain In their own
country, among the companions Of
their youth, their former colleagues,
even those indebted to them. People
affect to know them no longer. With
what bitterness do they comment on
the creed of money! With gold one
may have what he will; without it, i'm
possible to have anything. They be-
come pariahs, lepers, whom every one
shuns. Flies swarm round cadayers,
ren round gold. Take away the gold,
nobody is there. oh, it has caused
tears to flow, this creed of gain-bitter
tears, tears of blood, even from those
very eyes which once adored the gold
en- calf!
And, with it all, this creed is false
quite false. siiall not advance to the
attack with hackneyed tales of the
rich man astray in desert who can
not get even drop of water for his
gold, or the decrepit millionaire who
would give half he has to buy from a
stalwart fellow without a cent his
twenty years and his lusty health; no
more shall 1 attempt to prove that one
cannot buy happiness. So many peo-
pie who have money and so many more
who have not would smile at this truth
as the hardest ridden of saws. But
shall appeal to the common experience
of each of you, to make you put your
finger on the clumsy lie hidden beneath
an axiom that all the world goes about
repeating.
Fill your purse to the best of your
means and let us set out for one of the
watering places of which there are so
many-I mean some little town for
merly unknown and full of simple folk,
respectful and hospitable, among whom
it was good to be, and cost little. Fame
with her hundred trumpets has an
nounced them to the world and shown
them how they can profit from their
situation, their climate, their person
ality. You start out on the faith Of
Dame Rumor, fattering yourself that
with your money you are going to find
a quiet place to rest and, far from the
world Of civilization and convention,
weave a bit Of poetry into the warp Of
your days.
The beginning Is good. Natures set
ting and some patrtarchal costumes,
slow to disappear, delight you. But
as time passes the impression is spoil
ed. The reverse side of things begins
to show. This which you thought was
as true antique as family heirlooms is
naught but tricRery to mystify the
creduious. Everything is labeled; all
Is for sale, from the earth to the In
habitants. These prfmitives have be-
come the most consummate Of sharp
ers. Given your money, they have re
solved the problem Of getting 1t with
the least expense to themselves. On
all sides are nets and traps, like spider
webs, and the fly that this gentry lies
snugly in wait for is you. This is
what twenty or thirty years Of venali-
ty has done for a population once sim
pie and honest, whose contact was
grateful indeed to men worn by city
life. Homemade bread has disappear
ed, butter comes from the dealer, they
know to an art how to skim milk and
adulterate wine; they have all the vices
of dwellers in cities without their vir-
tues.
AS you leave you count your money.
So much is wanting that you make
complaint. You are wrong. One never
pays too dear for the conviction that
there are things which money will not
buy.
You have need in your house Of an
intelligent and competent servant. At
tempt to find this rara avis. According
to the principle that with money one
may get anything, you ought, as the
position you offer is inferior, ordinary,
good or exceptional, to find servants
unskilled, average, excellent, superior.
But all those who present themselves
for the vacant post are listed in the
last category and are fortified with
certificates to support their preten-
sions. 1t Is true that nine times out Of
ten when put to the test these experts
are found totally wanting. Then why
did they engage themselves with you?
They ought in truth to reply as does
the cook in the comedy, who is dearly
paid and proves to know nothing:
Why did you hire out as Gordon bleu?
1t was to get bigger commissions.
That Is the great affair. You will
always find people who like to get big
wages. More rarely you find capabil-
ity. And If you are looking for pro-
bity the difficulty increases. Mercena-
ries may be had for the asking; faith
fulness is another thing. Far be it from
me to deny the existence Of faithful
servants, at once intelligent and up
right. But you will encounter us
many, II not more, among the i'll paid
as among those most highly salaried
And it little matters where you find
them, you may be sure that they are
not faithful in their own interest; they
are faithful because they have some
what of that simplicity which renders
us capable of self abnegation.
Wesa iso hear on all sides the adage