The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-07-21

IAN'iy hhS
! hear similar remarks concerning him,
and | think IL a poor appreciation of
his generosity. As you say, he's al
ways giving, and it's small lssiness
to look gift horse in the mouth. as
the psalmist says If he hires a man
with megaphone to announce his
benefactions, he isn't hurting any
body.
"Caustic things are said Of every
philanthropiSt who manages to get
some advertising out of his liberallty,
but it's my opinion that you'l have to
hunt long time. with a searchliCht
and a pair Of gumshoes, before you
find the man who enjoys doing good
by stealth. If YOU do find him, he will
prove to be freak and II will be your
duty to see him returned to the asy-
lum from which he escaped.
"We are all more or less hungry for
the appreciation Of orr friends and fell
low citizens. And | am glad it's so.
If we didn't care three whOops what
our friends thought Of us, we wouldn't
paint our houses, or NOV our lawns.
or trim our whiSkers. We wouldn't
spend any money for flowers or boiled
shirts or any of the things which make
life beautiful and attractive. If a man
spends lot OF money for a gorgeous
lawn. with real trees and expensive
| flowers. and all sorts Of ornaments,
| he's doing IL because he wants TO be
| praised by the people who see ii all.
You don't see any such lawns in lone
some rural districts. There the front
yard always is a calf pasture.
"The farmer reasons that it's no use
having a pretty lawn. for there's no.
body 10 admire ii. Nobody ever goes
past the place except an occasional
lightning rod agent or man who is
taking orders for fruit trees.
"Why don't you sheer at the town
man who puts SO much money into
beautiful grounds? It's all a grand
stand play. He expects to get adyer-
Using out of II, and he does, and he
deserves ii. We shouldn't criticize any
man who is doing good. even II we
don't like his methods.
"Some' people say that Skimback is
trying to atone for all the sinfulness
of his past career. II is argued that
until recent years he never gave away
anything. but was after the dollars by
day and night, and didn't care who got
hurt so he overlook and captured
them. They tell of mortgages he fore
closed. causing unspeakahle suffering
here and there. He is accused of re-
sorting TO every dark trick To Increase
his hoard. Most of the stories prob
ably are bunk. but what II they are
true? Now that he shows signs of re-
pentence in his old age we should en-
courage him In every possible way,
and If he gives a photograph 10 the
high school. or puts NJ a public drink
ing fountain in the public square, we
should tell him he's evsrybody's dar'
ling. and not dig up lot of ancient
history for his confusion.
81 haven't much money to give
away, but when | do loosen up to the
extent Of a dollar or two like to have
an audience. | like to imagine thai
people are saying, what great-heart
ed, benevolent old geezer he Is! The
) other morning man approached mi
and asked me to contribute something
toward putting new steeple on th'
church, and l began to explain tina
church steeples are out of date, whel
he interrupted to say that the names
of all contributors would be printed II
the paper, and then dug up 50 with
out further words. And were al
tarred with the same stick, III.
friends"