The selfish boy likes playthings, but he does not like anybody to touch them: “You shall not bowl my hoop; you shall not touch my bat,” is constantly on his tongue. He is ever on the watch, to find out if any one has been even near anything of his. He is restless, anxious, fearful; he knows it lies at the bottom of his heart to rob others, because all selfish boys are covetous, and he thinks that everybody will take from him.
When he sits down to his writing, if he happen to make a good letter he holds his hand over it, so that no one may copy it. When he has worked his sum, he hugs it up to his breast, for fear any one should be benefitted by knowing how it was done; not that it is right to show your sums to others, but this is not his motive.
He obtains knowledge, perhaps works hard for it, but he has no desire for communicating it to others. If he should see a fine sight at the window, he calls for no one to share his delight, but feels a pleasure in being able to say, “I saw it, and you did not.”
The selfish boy cannot see the good of anything, without he is to be the gainer in some way or other. When his interests are concerned, you will see him quite alive, although he was ever so sluggish just before. He sees in a moment what will make to his own advantage, and is, therefore, an adept at chopping and changing, and at making bargains. He knows well enough how to disparage (to speak against) his school-fellow’s plaything. If it be a knife, he will pretend the spring is bad, and find out a hundred faults; then, when he has made a good bargain, oh! how he chuckles over it, and rubs his hands.
The selfish boy is a great cheat: when he plays marbles he takes care, when an opportunity offers, of kicking his alley nearer to the ring; when he makes a false shot, he will pretend that he was not in earnest, on purpose to get another; when the game is going against him, he will pretend he has hurt his knee or his knuckle, and can’t play any more.
The selfish boy is a great braggart; he often says, “I have got this, and I have got that. Aye, you do not know how much money I have got in my saving-box.” Sometimes he hints that his father is rich, and he shall have a fortune left him when the old gentleman is dead; and he does not seem to care how soon he dies.
His whole life is a sort of scramble; if anything is to be given away, he is the first to cry out, for fear he should lose his share, and the first to grumble when he obtains it. If another boy happens to receive a larger slice at mealtimes than himself, he pines over it, and can scarcely contain himself for vexation. He always looks out for the best of everything, and thinks he has a right to it.
Poor boy! he thinks the world was made for him. He never thinks of others. It is no pleasure for him to see others happy; nay, he would sooner make his dearest friends miserable, than deprive himself of anything. He will make no self-sacrifice, I can assure you.
Nay, more than this, if he does not want a thing, he cannot bear that anybody else should enjoy it. This is the last stage of his disease; and thus he is like the dog in the manger, and snaps at every one who comes near him.—What a pretty man he will make!—Martin’s Treasury of Knowledge.