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 Verily
I say unto thee, read these quotes appreciatively, for they
represent much searching through "Wit and Wisdom of Safed
the Sage," by William E. Barton; Pilgrim Press, Chicago,
1919. The following is from p. 101-f. Perhaps my judgment is
faulty, and this material is not worth the effort of
condensation and presentation; but I am hard pressed to find a
better way to get us to really see ourselves. Perhaps these
caricatures of human follies, drawn 50 years ago, will reflect
some light upon today's ways — for human nature changes
little.
--------------------------
There
were two men who were partners in business, and they did divide
Their Prosperity, share and share alike. And there came a Great
War. And there was a Committee which waited on these two men,
and said unto each of them, Lend thy money to thy Government. In
so doing thou shalt gain for thyself Four and One Fourth Per
Cent, and make the World Safe for Democracy.
And
one of them considered, and said, God hath prospered me with a
moderate prosperity; I will subscribe all I can afford. And he
subscribed for a Thousand Shekels bond.
And
the other asked him, How much hast thou subscribed? And he said,
A thousand shekels. Then said he, I will go thee Fifty-Fifty. I
will also subscribe for a Thousand Shekels.
But
he thought within himself, Peradventure they raise it not all
the First Crack out of the Box, then will they come
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around again; and if I subscribe a Thousand
Shekels, then shall I have nothing left wherewith to come back
at them again. So he subscribed Five Hundred Shekels. And he
said to THE Chairman of the Committee. If thou lackest, come
back; for thou canst always count on Yours Truly to do his
share, and Then Some. And the Committee gave to each of them a
Button whereon was written, Trouble me not, for I have
Subscribed for the Liberty Loan.
Now
when the Committee had canvassed the town, behold they were
short of their Quota. And they said, We must hustle around and
make it up, lest they tell in Gath that we are Slackers, and
publish in the streets of Ashkelon that we be Pikers. Then came
the Committee back to these two men. And the one who had
subscribed for a Thousand Shekels said, I have gone the Limit.
But the other said, Sure Thing. And he subscribed an Hundred
Shekels.
And
the Committee gave unto him another sign to fasten on with his
Button, whereon was written, I have given PLUS. But the other
man had only his one Button. And all men did honor the man who
had given Six Hundred, because he had given Plus; but they
honored not the man who had given a Thousand Shekels the first
time around.
And
the man who had given Six Hundred, he talked much about how the
men who gave the Plus subscription had Put the Loan Across and
enabled the town to Go Over the Top; but in his soul he knew
that he was a Piker and a Cheap Skate and that his Middle name
was Ananias.
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