DEAR ABBY: I had a copy of President James A. Garfield's "Rules for Living" but have been unable to locate it for several months.
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It seems that one of President Garfield's friends gave him a list of rules for moral living, which Garfield carried in his wallet for the rest of his life. These rules have been published in various periodicals.
I would appreciate it if you could locate a copy of these "rules for living" and print them in your column. I'm sure that many people would benefit from reading them again, and possibly for the first time.
I'm signing my name, but if you print this, please omit my name and sign this ... A MOMENT IN HISTORY
DEAR MOMENT: I have not seen the rules for living that you mention, but I came across a profound piece of philosophy attributed to President James Garfield. It is from a book I own titled "Facts About the Presidents" by Joseph Nathan Kane:
GARFIELD JUDGES GARFIELD
"I do not care what others say and think about me. But there is one man's opinion which I very much value, and that is the opinion of James Garfield. Others I need not think about. I can get away from them, but I have to be with him all the time. He is with me when I rise up and when I lie down; when I eat and talk; when I go out and come in. It makes a great difference whether he thinks well of me or not."