Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1886 — Not Rewarded. [ARTICLE]

Not Rewarded.

“Unselfishness and disinterestedness do pot meet with proper reward in this country," remarktsl Colonel IJollinworth, during a pleasant conversation with Major Downer. “I’ll give you an illustration. Down in my neighborhood there lived a worthy citizen named Mumps. Rather- a peculiar name, I admit, but there never lived a more impartial man than J. Horatio Mumps. .Last year.crops were short with us, and the question of how to get corn enough to fatten the hogs was discussed by everyone. There was very little mast, but many of the farmers turned their hogs into the woods. Among those farmers was a rather worthless old fellow named Spillers. Mumps, having cultivated a rich piece of bottom land so moist that it was not much affected by the drouth, made enough corn to fatten his hogs. One day when he went into the woods to feed them, he found five of Spillers’ hogs among them. They squealed so and looked so hungry that the good man had not the heart to drive them away, so he fed them with the rest. ” “He is indeed a kind-hearted man!" the major exclaimed. ..... ■ “Beats any cose of true kindness of heart I ever knew,” the Colonel replied. “Of course after this, Spillers’ hogs came regularly. Mumps’ wife told her husband that charity should begin at home, but the philanthropist declared that it was not in his heart to show partiality. Well, after awhile, when killing time came, Mumps, still unwilling to show selfishness, killed Spillers’hogs just as he did his own, and, sir, took the same pains in cutting them up, and hanging them up in his smoke-house." “You don’t tell me so?” “Yes, hung them upas well as he did his own. ” “Did Spillers prove grateful?” “No, he didn’t, the wretch. He had Mumps arrested.” —“Arrested P—“Yes, arrested on the charge that his credit and standing in the community had been injured. We all thought that Mumps would come clear, but the judge in his charge to the jury said: ‘Gentlemen, we cannot impugn the motives of the defendant, for his unselfishness is to be commended; but in taking up the plaintiff’s hogs, even though he nurtured them, he created the impression that the- plaintiff was unkind if not able to take care of and feed his own hogs, thereby injuring his standing as a church member and his credit as a man. It is therefore my duty to say that it is your duty to send Mr. Mumps to the penitentiary for five years.’” No, sir,"the colonel continued, “kindness and unselfishness is not appreciated in my neighborhood. Arkansaw Traveler.