Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-02-01


ates-I had almost said guaranteed b.
the government or the church . who
can be reproached with nothing but
dry and hard hearts, while we are as
tonished to encounter in certain fallen
human beings the most genuine ten
derness and, as 1t were. thirst for
self devotion.
should like to speak next. apropos
of the inglorious good, of class that
today it is thought quite fitting to
treat with the utmost one sidedness. ]
mean the rich. Some people think the
last word Is said when they have stlg
matized that infamy. capital For
them. all who possess great fortunes
are monsters gorged with the blood OF
the miserable. Others. not so declama-
tory, persist, however, in confounding
riches with egoism and insensibility.
Justice should be visited on these err
rors. be they involuntary or calculated.
No doubt there are rich men who con-
Germ themselves with nobody else, and
others who do good only with osten-
tation. Indeed, we know 1t too well.
But does their inhumanity or hypocrisy
take away the value of the good that
others do and that they often hide with
a modesty SO perfect?
| knew man to whom every mis-
fortune had come which can strike us
in our affections. He had lost be-
loved wife, had seen all his children
buried one after another. But he had
a great fortune. the result of his own
labor. Living in the utmost SIMPLE
ity, almost without personal wants, he
spent his time in searching for oppor-
tunities to do good and profiting by
them. How many people he surprised
In fragrant poverty, what means he
combined for relieving distress and
lighting up dark lives, with what
kindly thoughtfulness he took his
friends unawares, no one can imagine.
He liked to do good to others and en-
Joy their surprise when they did not
know whence the relief came. 1t
Heased him to repair the injustices of
fortune to bring tears of happiness in
families pursued by mischance. He
was continually plotting. contriving.
matchmaking in the dark, with child
ish fear of being caught with his hand
In the bag. The greater part of these
fine deeds were not known till after
his death; the whole of them we shall
never know
He was socialist Of the right sort.
for there are two kinds of them. Those
who aspire to appropriate to them
selves a part of the goods Of others
are numerous and commonplace. To
belong to their order it suffices to have
a big appetite. Those who are hun
gering to divide their own goods with
men who have none are rare and pre-
cious, for to enter this choice company
there Is need Of a brave and noble
heart free from selfishness and sensi-
tive to both the happiness and unhappi-
ness of its fellows. Fortunately the race
of these socialists is not extinct, and 4
feel an unalloyed satisfaction in offer
ing them tribute they never claim.
| must be pardoned for dwelling up
on this. 1t does one good to offset the
bitterness of so many infamies, SO
many calumnies, so much charlatan-
ism. by resting the eyes upon some
thing more beautiful. breathing the
perfume of these stray corners where
simple goodness flowers.
A lady. a foreigner, doubtless little
used to Partisan life, just now told me
with what horror the things she sees
here inspire her these vile posters,
these yellow" journals. these women
with bleached hair, this crowd rushing
to the races, to dance halls. to roulette
tables, to corruption-the whole fool
of superficial and mundane life. She
did not speak the word Babylon, but
doubtless it was out of pity for one OF
the inhabitants of this city of per-
dition.
alas, yes, madam; these things are
sad, but you have not seen all"
Heaven preserve me from THAR
"On the contrary, l wish you could
see everything, for, If the dark side
is very ugly, there is so much to
atone for 1t. And, believe me, madam,
you have simply to change your quar-
ter or observe it at another hour. For
instance, take the Paris of early morn
ing 1t will offer much to correct
your impressions Of the Paris of the
night. Go see. among so many other
working people, the street sweepers.
who come out at the hour when tho
jewellers and malefactors go in. OBJ
serve beneath these rags those cary
atid bodies. those austere faces! How
serious they are at their work of
sweeping away the refuse OF the
nights revelry! One might liken
them to the prophets at Ahasuerus'
gates. There are women among them,
many old people When the air is cold
they stop to blow their fingers and then
go at it again. So it is every day. And
they, too. are inhabitants of Paris.
go next to the faubourgs, to the
factories. especially the smaller ones,
where the children or the employers
labor with the men. Watch the army
of workers marching to their tasks.
How ready and willing these young