Safed and the Wastepaper Basket

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 1, 9 October 1931, Page 9

Safed and the Wastepaper Basket

I suppose myself to be no more stupid than the average man, and yet it may be that I am the only man on earth who hath ever done the foolish thing that I shall presently relate. The Postman called, and left for me a large package of Mail, And I laid the Papers and Books aside, and looked through the residue thereof. And such circulars as I did not desire, and such letters as I did not care to save, these I placed at my left And the letters that required answer, and the letters that I desired to preserve, these did I lay upon my right hand. And when I had looked through all my Mail, I cleared my Desk of that which I wanted to be out of my way. And I took up one package of that which I had looked through and cast it into the Wastebasket. And then did I seat myself to answer the letters that were important, and behold, none of them were there. For I had carefully saved that pile which was of no value, and had thrown the important Mail into the Wastebasket. And I was humiliated at mine own stupidity. For I can forgive the Stupidity of other people more readily that I can forgive mine own. So I went to the Wastebasket, and fished out what I had thrown away, and laid it upon the table. And that which was waste and of no value, that did I then throw away. And I said unto myself, I am old enough and big enough and ought to know better than to have done so foolish a trick. But I have observed men who have done likewise in even more important matters. Yea, and the prophet Jeremiah did complain that the people of his day deserted the fountains where the springs of pure water were, and hewed themselves out with great labour broken Cisterns which did hold no water. And a man who had reason to know what he was talking about declared that every Law which man hath made for man, since man first slew his brother-man and crime on earth began, doth straw the wheat and save the chaff with a most evil fan. And I behold how men and women make careful Classification of things worth while and things not w'orth while, and in casting one aside and saving the other make a sad mistake. I was once about to cross the Ocean, and there stood nigh unto me upon the Deck a Newly Married Couple about to Sail on their Honeymoon. And their friend® were shouting unto them all manner of good advice. And the bride held in her right hand a Jeweled Watch which her husband had given unto her as a Wedding Gift, and in the other hand did she hold a Peach which she was eating from a basket that her friends had sent on board. And asi we passed the Statue of Liberty, and they turned to go below, she tossed the Watch overboard, and carefully saved the Peach stone. Alas, I often wish that other men and women were not as foolish as I; for I sadly realise even when mine own follies are the greatest that I am no Monopolist of folly.