South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-22
Tea Table Talks
THAT SPIRIT OF THE TIMES.
BY May De Witt Talmage

VI
What is the spirit of the times"
that makes any real idealistic ac-
ton so notable? Why should the
fact that a woman has her convic-
tions about taking what she con-
siders tainted gold" and TOlstoy's
view that money aside from a suf~
ficiency for the bare necessities Of
life is unnecessary to happiness. be
a subject Of so much comment? Yet,
when a women the other day refused
an inheritance of 10000. and per-
haps S2D0,e although she has only
$500 a year for her living. because
she believes the money was misgot-
ten, mOney-mad and pleasure-seek-
ing New York gasped with astonish-
ment
Why should there be such a noisy
blare of notOriety because someone
is living up TO their convictions and
ideals? Are there so few Of that
kind in the world that they are an
odd lot. like misers and fanatics?
In this day Of arid and dreary
realism chilling us to the heart, and
sad voiced novelists entreating us
at every turn 10 try to cultivate in
decorous conduct and religious
doubts" il is refreshing TO read that
a woman so thoroughly believes, "all
the best things in life can be got
without money, and none of the best
things can be got with it. There are
only three things in the universe that
have any intrinsic value, and those
are. intelligence. love and will To
acquire these things I have all the
money ! need" And her great hope
( in life is TO help people TO under
stand their own souls.
Ii is one thing 10 have our theor-
les about life; our ideals, but how
many of us could stand the test Of
/ having them tried out" How many
of us ride our hobby up to the last
ditch. and then balk when we have
to jump.
So this woman who has proved
her convictions should be a great
stimulant 10 us who sometimes Won
der what we would do if put TO the
test. This woman, although she has
little money, refuses the wealth she
has inherited because she feels it
came from the worst kind Of a
miser
'Miserliness is the one sin that
kills all humanity in a person." she
said. ct changed his nature. and
made lie miserable for every hu-
man being that came in contact with
him. When he began to acquire
these habits, his face and form began
TO change. He became subtly cruel
to members OF his own family. His
intellect was keen, but his nature
was so ugly that no man could bear
his company, and only a few women.
There are other ways of killing peO-
pie than by stabbing them. Through
his cruelty and meanness he grad
ually killed all those Of his family
who were nearest and dearest to
him. and he died with the guilt of
those deaths upon his conscience.
know because Of what he told me
about a year before he died"
What a picture this brings before
us of the man who died a month
ago. in the 18th year of his age.
What a contrast TO the man we read
D
all his earnings from many years of
/ hard work in order to make up a
deficit that was found in his ac-
counts. as a public official. OF his
( long dead father. This lifetime sac
rifice and saving was 10 free a faith
er's name from undeserved obloquy.
We are not told what kind of a man
he is but we feel sure, although his
/ life has heen given To getting ana
saving money, the man himself has
grown bigger in the sacrifice involved
in his self-appointed trust.
What n symposium OF the year
/ 1916 those three lives make: mater
/ ialism. idealism, sacrifice to flial
duty They prove the age Of chival-
I ~ is not past; that one can have
ideals and theories about life and
| live mp to them when put 10 the test.