The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-01-11
CONCERNING UNSELFIsHNEss.

|
To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL:
/ Other newspapers pay me for what |
write, but your paper will publish my
productions only on condition that pay
you what l owe you. Well, here it is,
but l can i'll afford it, for l have just
returned from New Y ork city, and such
trip, combined with Christi mas doesn't
leave a man very flush, unless he is
president of an insurance company. BY
the way, more than half the cause of
my trip was to try for the presidency
of one of the fattest companies, recent
ly made vacant. But, unfortunately
! for me, and | think for the company,
the place had been filed. The other
! half of the reason for the tripW was pure,
unalloyed unseitshness. My better
half wished to go with me, but she
thought that the expense would be too
great if we both went and after some
argument | agreed with her, which is
usually the case. But it was quite
necessary that one of US should go, and
much as | wished to stay at home | at
last consented and went.
If my people only knew how repug-
nant the city is to me they would never
accuse me of selfshness in going alone.
Just think of the wicked people there!
The place for gray-haired old man is
at home where ''the wicked cease from
troubling and your weary bones can
rest" | am not just sure of that quo
tation, but nobody knows where it is
found, so | will risk it,
Now about unselfshness. All our
troubles come from it. If man is
unselfish and loves somebody else bet
ter than himself and his family he is
sure of trouble. However sublime the
sentiment is, III practice it is a total
failure. AS Mark Twain or st. Paul
says, "U nseitishness is the root, trunk
and branches of all evil" My grand
mother used to say, ''Be unseltish and
you will be happy" Why, bless her
dear Old soul, she didn't know. She
hadn't lived long enough in this world
to know what happiness is, for she died
at the age of ninety three. See how
fat a selfish man is and contented! ~ r.
selfishness tendeth to leaness,' as the
Russian philosopher remarks. The old
Presbyterian doctorine that the more
unhappy you are, the better you are, is
probably true, but don't believe it. If
/ am to be unhappy in order to be good
then I'll remain wicked the rest of my
natural life. But the Methodists and
Universalists tell us to be good and we
will be happy, ard so there you are.
They are all wrong. Why not tell the
truth, if we know it? try to be unset
fish, except perhaps in little things,
and yet l am not particularly happy;
and on the other hand get selfish and
wicked and l am not particularly I'M
happy. There may be roasting time
in the dim future, but even the antici-
patton of that does not make me miser-
/ BILE.
But | was intending to say something
about unselfshness, but have wander
ed about till l have forgotten what it
was, got switched off into preaching
and have left out all the good things.
Nevertheless l will not leave out that
which will tickle you most, and that is
the check.
Please append the following verses
called
MY FRIEND.
l have a FRIEND and such friend
AS no man ever had;
He's ever ready to defend
My actions, good or bad.
When am i'll he nuI SeS me,
Attends me days and nights;
Weeps at my pain, laughs at my glee
And all my battles fights.
| He lend me cash anG makes no charge,
Regardless how spend.
Was ever there heart so large,
Or ever truer friend?
He shouts the loudest at my jokes,
He condones all my fibs,
At my old yarns he always pokes
My fat-encOmpassed ribs.
He loves me and will die with me
When I'm laid on the shelf,
For this dear friend, of course you see,
Is only Just myself.