Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-23

friend Of mine who stood by Mr. Fields
bedside found him In condition pitifuI In
deed.
my life is wretkr' said the sick man
bitterly. nv fortune eons. my homo dis
when thought was being kfnds II had
only had frmness enough to compel my
boys to earn their own living a. Comno-
dore Vanderbilt did. they would have
broken-spirited man repeated over and over
his desire TO die His visitor reminded him
of the many things remaining to I've for.
Of the impoverished honors paid him By all
countries in the world for his work for
civilization which moored the continents to-
gether and Of the fame which he had won
and could never lose. All In vain! He was
sure he had nothing to live for, and the
decorations given him by sovereigns and
hanging on the wall were meaningless
baubles to him.
Peter Cooper.
talked with the venerable Peter Cooper
during his very last days on the relation
of millionaire to the public. He said: Il
have been luckier than most Of 'em, for
have been the executor of my own viii.
T have seen the institute finished and that
works for tremendous good. but there are
so many other things want to do for the
relief OF wage-earners.-and he gave to inc
great bundle Of his printed schemes for
bettering the condition of mankind.
remarked that man who had earned
the title Of phiianthropist had certainly
demonstrated the value of money. He
smiled whimsically and said: But after
aai. the men who do the most good in this
world. reckon, are not the professional
phtlanthropists always, but men who make
lot of money and deep It busy In processes
OF reproduction. The man who equips and
Keeps going great factory probably does
more good than he who builds an aims
n chnu eff p1eltfv, ar
establishes railroad probably confers
more lasting benefit on the world than he
who endows an asylum that keeps thou
sands from starving. He who teaches men
to help themselves-he is the real benefac-
tor Of his time.
/ mentioned to the venerable man that 1t
must be great satisfaction to remember
that he buile the first locomotive ever put
upon track in America and ran it down
at Baltimore. He laughed and said he had
no doubt that the precedent he had there
established In demonstrating that steam
railroads were possible was worth more
than his so-called benefactions
Twenty years have passed. perhaps. since
I last saw Elizabeth Thompson. though be-
fore that time l had had the privilege Of
her pleasant acquaintance. She was a mil
Honaire and had an income Of $4,000 q
year. She was the daughter OF a poor farm
er In Vermont, and at nine years of age
she was hired out as servant at % cents
week. She grew up in that humble place
very handsome and very studious. attrac-
tive and intellectual, and at twenty she
married the Rhode Island millionaire who
died twenty-five years later and left her his
fortune
Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson.
The last time called on Mrs Thompson
she seemed to be distressed about some
thing. and 1 tried to take hasty leave
No, no. she eaid. II am sorry 1 cannot
conceal that I am in trouble for she had
obviously been crying You see that nile
Of letters On tho Iour.. ;, 4.h 90 ar
b.x,a IT,. e0 saiu
,.ase Jus, opeheo enem- MOST OF them are
oessins letters asking for gifts or loans
and they have set me thinking. Obi /
believe INV money hos nevar ls,n
bodv any 900 80. aA'
dons who+ ~ 'Neh.y YEARS ! nave
S hoo s Mma. cousu 70 TO- make 1t useful |
seems ~ bam way $500 every year. ana Il
has 49, piouucsu oHly misery IL
n nc seis 70 urunKards grave member
70 y 1wn . ianIy; mas aiienated some
1919 oesI I1enas. IL appears to have
t n..peu hoDooy Ior more than an hour or
thos asuly ever near word from
enose ! nave heipeo, except when they tell
Me - IS an gone ana they must have more
oon huow "hich way 10 turn. have
i noney ana am AFRAID to answer these
letters;
~ ! trleo TO plead for her philanthropy
.ou must nave brought immense relief to
many poor people, l said. The S150.00O
you nave spent to provide heads of FAM
Iies with work doesn't seem to have
zone much good, she interrupted. TT Is
skill ana industry and staying qualities
thae WIN permanent situations, I find
heip from within rather than from with
OUT; These letters have taught me that.
your gift OF $500 to every settler in
"Better" che s.td Opt 49,, ,