FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   >>  
ave a glass eye, a wooden leg, and a wax arm that need looking after, not to mention false teeth, and so forth." "Oh, that's all right, general," replied the applicant, enthusiastically; "I've had lots of experience. I worked six years in the assembling department of a big motor-car factory." SHE ADMITTED IT Our ideals are often a personal matter and, after all, it is just as well to be humble about our achievements A certain woman was brought before a magistrate. "It appears to be your record, Mary Moselle," said the magistrate, "that you have been thirty-five times convicted of stealing." "I guess, your honor," replied Mary, "that is right. No woman is perfect." A BENEFACTOR OF MANKIND This story teaches us a very old moral. The man of whom it is told was travelling in a railroad train when he leaned forward confidentially to the man in the next seat: "Excuse me, sir," he said. "You're not going to get off at the next station, are you?" "No, sir." "Then that will give me time to tell you. Are you aware, sir, what is the matter with this great country?" "No, sir." "As I thought. It's due entirely to misunderstanding. We are always jumping to conclusions about others. That makes us suspicious. Result, constant friction. Take you and me, for example. At present we are comparative strangers. But when we get to know each other better we shall slowly but surely come to realize that each of us is trying to do our best, and--" "But I don't want to know you any better." "Precisely. Exactly. That's what causes all the trouble. I judge you and you judge me too hastily. As you become better acquainted with my motives you will gradually come to realize that deep down in my heart is a passionate desire to benefit my fellowmen. Same here. My tendency is to treat you as a stranger, not to give you credit for noble generosity and genuine civic virtue. But I am determined to overcome this attitude and recognize you as a brother. I know I'm a hundred years ahead of my age, but someone must make the sacrifice." The train stopped and the other man got up and, leaning over, grabbed him by the arm. "I'm changing my mind," he said; "guess I will get off at this station. By-by. Sorry I can't know you better." The pioneer in human progress sat for some time after the train had started, pondering on the deep problem of destiny. Suddenly, however, he clapped his hands to his pockets and ran forward
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   >>  



Top keywords:

magistrate

 
forward
 
station
 

replied

 
matter
 
realize
 
acquainted
 

motives

 

gradually

 

strangers


benefit
 

desire

 

wooden

 

passionate

 
slowly
 
fellowmen
 

Exactly

 

hastily

 

Precisely

 
trouble

surely
 

virtue

 

pioneer

 

progress

 
leaning
 

grabbed

 

changing

 
clapped
 

pockets

 
Suddenly

destiny
 

started

 

pondering

 

problem

 

genuine

 
generosity
 

comparative

 

credit

 

tendency

 
stranger

determined

 

overcome

 

sacrifice

 

stopped

 
attitude
 

recognize

 

brother

 
hundred
 

misunderstanding

 

thirty