The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-10-10
IhePhlosophy
Of Sel6shness
By KATHLEEN ]. M'uuRDY

By KATHLEEN ]. M'uURDY
When Johnny Perkins was a boy in
his native town of Bloomsbury he
was everybody's pet When he smiled
his eye lighted up and a dimple ap.
peared in each cheek. His face chang
ed, however, in a twinkling at the re-
cital Of a tale Of woe or an injury to
any animal. For this eason some
called him chicken hearted.
When Johnny grew to manhood.
while he was as much beloved. his
stand in the community was not as
high as it had been when he was a
child. Men and women occupy a diff
ferent sphere from either children or
youths. The latter periods are nat
ural; the former is artificial.
Edward Jones, a rich man Of the
town, died and left his fortune to
found an institution to be called the
Jones Lyceum. It was a beautiful
monument to Mr.. Jones and was fire.
Quented by the best people. The poor
had no use for 1t, and IL they had their
clothes were not good enough to war
rant their going there. One day John
Perkins was standing before it admir-
ing the architecture Of the building.
A beggar came along and asked him
for aims. He gave the beggar a
nickel, all the money he had in his
pocket at the time. He looked from
Mr.. Jones' monument to the beggar
and from the beggar back to the mon
ument.
"When I've got a fortune" he said to
himself, II wont leave it to the rich:
IN leave It to the poor. No. l won't,
either. he said on second thought.
I'll enjoy it myself-enjoy it by giving
1t away while I live" -.
John had nc idea whatever when he
said this that he had struck the philos-
ophy Of true sel1shness. He thought
not of doing a duty. only of giving
himself pleasure by benefiting others.
! When John went home he found the
postman at the door. who handed him
a letter. 1t was postmarked Dawson.
Alaska. John was mystifed. He knew
nc one in Alaska. However. he opened
the letter. and found that it was from
an attorney. informing him that John
Perkins had recently died. leaving John
Perkins residuary legatee Of his estate.
It was indmated that the property
was very valuable and he had better
come at once and attend to it.
When John showed the letter to his
mother she told him that this John
Perkins was his fathers younger
brother, who had disappeared some If
teen years before. John had been nam
ed for him.
John went TO Alaska. where he re-
mained several years. When he re-
turned he was drawing an income of
$4,000 a year from mines he had in
herited from his uncle. he converted
his property into mortgages. settled in
his native town and began to enjoy
life in his own selfish way.
It was not long before he had acquir-
ed a reputation for a miser. He gave
nothing away, except under promise
from the recipient to hold the gift a
profound secret. And all the recipi.
ents were those OF the middle and low.
er classes. The Jones memorial was
referred to as illustrating the benefit
done the town by the donor Of the ~
ceum in contrast with the niggSrdli-
ness Of John Perkins. John also suf-
fered from persons who applied to him
for money to use In various schemes
which would make them rich. They
were all refused. for John at the out
set had made a resolution to keep all
his money for needy persons.
The enmity JOAN excited among the
better classes as be grew older embit.
tered them against him. He lived with
his old mother In q comfortable house.
into which none Of his own class ever
came. The reason was. primarily. that
such persons were not invited; but
secondaily. they knew there was
nothing to be made out Of John Per.
kina. They had 10 time to waste on
tOU89 WUO WOUlO We VI ~ OS1lSuS "
them. There were rumofs that he was
not quite 70 bad 90. be was painted,
but whenever such came to dis ears BIZ
squelched them by, saying that be was
selfish; he knew It and didn't care
whether the world admired or blamed
him for It.
John gave away all Of his Income ex-
cept a couple Of thousand dollars.
which was all he and his mother need
ed to be comfortable. After his moth.
er died he didn't spend as much. and
his reputation for being a misr was
enhanced. How could It be otherwise
since DE would not permit any n he
benefited to tell Of what he had done
And the more he gave the crustier re
marks he made. No one understood
him. and no n cared to understand
him. 81.
When John died, with no relative Il
benefit BY his fortune. everybody won
dered what would become Of Il
Surely the town at last would gel
something from the old curmudgeon