12 
THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
of all the ships and railroads ever built, if their 
possession would expose my memory to be 
dragged forth to such public contempt.” 
“Well, Charley,” said Lewis, “it must be 
confessed that a life such as you have described 
must appear loathsome to a noble mind, but that 
is the abuse of wealth. You must remember 
that there are not a few bright exceptions to 
offset the many instances of fraud and selfish¬ 
ness. Consider the many noble monuments of 
consecrated wealth in the shape of colleges, hos¬ 
pitals, and other institutions of public charity!” 
“ No, Lew, I have not forgotten that there are 
a few men whose names the world will not will¬ 
ingly let die, but the precious catalogue is a 
very brief one indeed when motives and actions 
are closely scanned. Not every one, however, 
who has built a college or an institution of char¬ 
ity by will deserves to be placed in the rank of 
the world’s benefactors. When passing some of 
these monuments of so-called generosity, I have 
been led to scan carefully the active lives of the 
legators. It seems to me that the last act of 
their lives is the most sordid and contemptible. 
So long as they were able they clutched and 
hoarded, made ‘ corners,’ and took advantage of 
