Dr. Buchanan, of Randolph-Macon College, tells of a lady who planted a rare rose-*bush, worked around it, fertilized it, watered it, and yet saw no reward of her labors. But presently it was found that shoots from this bush had pushed through to the other side of the wall and were blooming in splendid beauty there. "Work on, undiscovered ones," he says. "In the unseen world you may find your unseen roses in full bloom, scenting the air with fragrance." (Text.)
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UNSELFISHNESS
There was a party of twenty-five boys and
girls going upon a picnic, and when about
to get into the carry all which was to convey
them to the picnic grounds, it was found
that, with the utmost crowding there was
room for only twenty-four, and one little
girl was left standing on the ground, and
was to be left behind. The disappointment
was too great for her to control her feelings,
and the tears began to fall, when one of her
companions, named Alice, jumped out and
said, "Don't cry, Sadie; you get in and take
my place; I have been many times, and do
not care so very much." The children had
a very happy afternoon, but what do you suppose
they thought and said about Alice?—James
T. White, "Character Lessons."
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This helpful poem is from The Outlook:
I thank thee, Lord, for strength of arm
To win my bread,
And that beyond my need is meat
For friend unfed.
I thank thee much for bread to live,
I thank thee more for bread to give.
I thank thee, Lord, for snug-thatched roof
In cold and storm,
And that beyond my need is room
For friend forlorn.
I thank thee much for place to rest,
But more for shelter for my guest.
I thank thee, Lord, for lavish love
On me bestowed,
Enough to share with loveless folk
To ease their load.
Thy love to me I ill could spare,
Yet dearer is thy love I share. (Text.)
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See Patriotism, Disinterested; Self-forgetting.
UNSELFISHNESS, EXAMPLES OF
When Peter Cooper, who founded the
Cooper Institute, New York, had completed
his apprenticeship, his employer esteemed him
so much that he offered to give him the capital
to start in business, but Cooper refused
because of his invincible repugnance to debt.
At the end of three years he had saved up
$500, but his father being prest with debt,
young Cooper gave the entire amount for
his relief. He purchased a glue factory and
soon obtained the reputation of making the
best glue in the country. He became interested
in many successful enterprises, employing
thousands of men, and conceived the
idea of an educational institute for the advancement
of the sciences. Abram S.
Hewitt, with a son of Peter Cooper, took
over the father's iron business, and at one
time over 3,000 men were employed, and for
six years they ran the business at a loss of
over $100,000 a year rather than bring upon
their employes the distress incident to shutting
down the plant. Partly for this reason
the business was run for forty years with
only sufficient profit to pay the men, and
still by judicious foresight in buying iron
the firm cleared over $1,000,000 in one year.
Their policy toward their workmen was always
to take them into their confidence.—James
T. White, "Character Lessons."
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UNSELFISHNESS IN BIRDS
Sidney Lanier tells of a mocking-bird six
weeks of age being kept in a cage with
another young bird who was so ill he could
hardly move. One day food happened to
be delayed in coming, and Bob got furiously
hungry. He called and screamed and made
a great row. At last it appeared, and he
took in his beak the ball of egg and potato,
snatching it out of the hand, and then, instead
of eating it, ran across the cage and
gave the whole of it to his sick friend.—Olive
Thorne Miller, "The Bird Our
Brother."
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UNSELFISHNESS, POWER OF
The way in which an unselfish example can inspire a like desire in others is seen in this incident:
We two students roomed over on the north
side of the building where the sun never entered,
and we were often chilled to discomfort
and we would not stand it longer. The
