The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-11-17
rlrltro Gale
A SHORT AND TRUE STORY


"The hand that wiped away the tear of want
The heart that melted at anothers wo,
Were his-and blessings followed him"
David Wentworth had the kindest of
hearts. There was neither mete nor
bound to his benevolence, except lnahi'i-
ty. And happy was any man who had a
tithe of the prayers that were daily sent
up for the welfare of my friend, by the
wretched and unfortunate whom his hand
had relieved.
speak of prayers, for it was the only
reward he sought, aud of course the only
reward he received; mean here-but |
forget
David was paying attention to an ex-
celIent young lady of his native city.
She was wealthy, beautiful and accom-
plished, and consequently had many suit
ors. Amuug them we're richer aud nobler
lin extraction, mean) and handsomer
men than David; n'importe, there was a
kind of siraight,forwarduess about my
friend that could not fail to carry him
somewhere near the heart of his discern
ing mistress, even if an emperor had been
his rival.
The young lady hit upon a project to
put the character of her lovers to the test
She had come across poor widow in
distress, in one of her excursions, and the
idea struck her that il would be good
opportunity to ascertain the stuff her
lovers hearts were made of. Letters
were forthwith indited, setting forth the
woman's state, aud forwarded to the diff
ferent gentlemen, in the name ofthe wild
ow, aud requesting assistance.
The first was a lecture on idleness, be.
ginning aud concluding with the informa-
ton, that the writer was not accustomed
to give to those he did not know. This
was from $4,000 year! The second
advised her to apply to some of the be-
nevolent societies, whose business it was
to relieve those who were truly in want
This was from one who had a great rep.
utatiOn for benevolence. who had taken
a leading part in several charitable asso
Citations, aud whose pharisaical liberulitS
had been blazoned in the Gazette The
lady thought that. interested as he was il
those institutions, he displayed a com
mendable reluctance about taking the bus
mess out of their hands. A third from 6
good hearted aud generous kind Of IA fel
low, enclosed her FIVE dollar bill, with
his compliments, Several took no notice
of the woman's petition.
But there was another answer which
the lady read with far different feelings
1t was from David-from $500 year
and need not say. like himself, kind anC
consoliug-spoke of the writer's narrow
means, and also of the principle he
had adopted, of never giving unless per
suaded by the worthiness of the object
and concluded by requesting aninterview
"lf," said he, 81 find myself unable To af
ford the assistance required, may be o
service in interesting others in your be
half"
Nor was this mere professions; for it wa'
but week before the widow found her
self comfortably located and engaged in
thriving little business, and carried on b!
the aid of my friend. And all this wa
carried on in genuine Scripture style
there was no sounding of tlumpets; an'
the right hand knew not of the doings o
the left. But his lady-love was sien
observer of his conduct. and he receive'
many kind glance from this quarter, 9