Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-13
ssB,t .hs greatest of These is Charity >


An incident in the life Of young man in
this city came to our knowledge the other
day, which, from the spice OF romance 1t con-
tains. as well as what vast deal Of good a
slight bestowsl Of charity sometimes does,
makes il worthy of record.
As the young clerk and friend were pass
ing through Broad. street. one raw, chilly day
in November, q few years ago, they saw
standing near the corner of India.street, as
they turned to 60 down the wharf, poor
old woman, thinly clad in a calico dress, tat
tered bonnet and shawl, holding on her arm
small basket in which were a few uninvit-
ing apples which she vainly offered to the
huTrying pedestrians that passed her. Her
stockingless feet thrust into old slippers, and
q few threads of white hair scattered over
her forehead, she stood shivering in the keen
searching wind as our two clerks drew near.
Poor old woman !" said one as he ap
preached the poor creature, and with q sud.
den impulse he plunged his hand into his
pocket, and, grasping every cent it contained,
threw it into her basket-the old woman's
"God bless yous' following him on the frosty
air as he rapidly passed away. His compan-
ion, whos.witnessed the act, calculated at the
moment of Its performance:
"Bill, you are fool to throw your money
away in that manner on street beggars."
"Perhaps ] am" said the other, "but
could not help it; she may be an imposter
but do not believe it,
The next day the matter was forgotten,
and indeed might never have been remem
bered again had it not been brought to mind
in the following manner:
The next summer, one day, as the young
man was busy over his ledgers in an inner
counting.room at his employers store, he
was summoned to the outer Office by the
message that some one wished to see
him. Going out, he saw waiting fine look
inn dailOF IN nautical who aUe1 him
closely as he approached.
''Did you wish to see me, sir 2"
'ls your name William -"
"Yes, sir, that's my name"
''Blue eyes, light complexion, stands
straight, speaks quick" said the sailor, half
soliloquizing
"Yes, you must be the man, you look just
like it." said the tar.
"Just like what2" said the young man, a
little surprised.
why, FL tell you'll Overhaul your log
ard tell me if you recollect seeing poor old
woman, about ten months ago, shivering
with the cold in Broad-street, and trying to
sell few apples to keep her from starving,
and you threw a dollar and a half in silver
into her basket and walked on-you did
didn't you-you can remember it, can't your
said the sailor, with feverish anxiety.
Somewhat staggered by the questioner' 8
esgerness, it was a moment or two before the
young man could collect his thoughts, when
he replied that he did recollect throwing
some change into poor woman's basket
but that the circumstance had passed out oi
his memory.
"Ahl but she hasn't forgotten p' said the
sailor warmly; "but do you recollect what
the man that walked with you said2' he in.
quired:
Why, yes, now that 1 recall the circum
stance, think do. He said:
"'Bill, what fool you are to throw your
money away"
"That proves it." said the sailor ,ioyfully,
and dsshing his hat on the floor, he seized
the astonished young man by the hand, with
hearty grasp, saying:
GOD bless your soul, sir you saved my
mothers life, you did, knew you must be
thes man." continued he, to the astonished
clerk, 'the moment set my eyes upon you.
Why, bless your heart, that generous old
woman was my mother" said the sailor, 9
big tear running over his brown cheek.
Drawing his guest aside, the clerk learned
that be was second mate of ship now in
port that he had been searching for his
mothers benefactor for nearly three weeks
upon almost every wharf in that part of the
city that during his absence, the winter be-
fore, lie had been taken sick in foreign
port his mother had met with misfortunes
had heard nothing from him, and was de-
prived Of the provision he had made for heI
support curing his aDSe0Cej tlaC eXpeCJlQg
10 hear from him, she managed by various
means TO exc out an existence, till the chill
month Of November found her without food,
fire, or clothing, and drove her to the street
to procure them; that the handful of change
that the young man threw into her basket
procured her necesssres till other means for
tunately reached her.
In answer to the clerks inquiry as to what
clue he had to direct him in his search, he
replied:
Ny mother marked you, sir, although you
walked off so quickly, and her description OF
the color of your eyes and hair, and of your
Light, are corrsct. Furthermore, she heard
your companion call you Bill and say
something about the wharf; SO | concluded
you must be in a store on the wharf; so I've
been into every store on the wharves where
there were any Williams, and overhauled
about two dozen Bills but didn't run along
the true Bill till found you, sir. There" !"
concluded the sailor, "thats my yarn. felt
l could not rest easy till thanked you-and
that's what I've called to do. My old mother
is well provided for now, and I'm second
mate Of ship. God bless you, sir I'll
never forget your name, and may you never
know what it is to be poorl"
And the sailor wrung the hand of his ben.
etactor, whose heart glowed with the rich.
ness sof the poor mans blessing as he de.
parted.