The Portland daily press., 1865-02-25
Incidents about Home.
THE DONATION.

not always wrong 10 ioooA'o S"e0'
times when they are greatly more vaiuaoie
than their money value, and when giver and
recaiver are made exceedingly happy, and
verv much better. This class of receivers are
those who prefer to earn their living by hon.
est labor, but circumstances beyond their con-
troll have made them poor. Such feel deeply
when relief is given, and their first impulse,
on receiving aid, is, how to do something to
return its value. The other class want the
means Of living, but are reckless how it
comes. They not only have the disposition to
receive, but will 90 farther and make de-
mand upon you for aid, and are often angry
with you If it be denied. From this feeling
springs the professional beggar.
Now / wish to say very distinctly, that 1
regard the professional beggar, as no better
than the highway robber. The same princi-
chile underlies the action of both. There Is
this difference THE one takes your money by
force, the other by deception. If there be
greater criminality it is with the beggar, for he
lies and trifes with your sympathy, which is
the better part of your nature. The robber
comes to you and bluntly demands your mon
ey or your life. He appeals to your fears /;
the beggar to your kind feelings. do not
wish to be understood as saying that all beg
ging is curse, for necessity sometimes COM
pels people to beg, and they do it in pain
But l refer to the professional beggar, who
would rather beg than work, and who prac-
tises the art of deception in its various ways
to make you think he is needy and suffering,
when he is too lazy to work, or because he
supposes he can get more by begging than by
working. In Europe this class is numerous.
They meet the stranger at the corner of
every street. Their piteous means, distorted
faces, and broken and ulcerous limbs, appeal
strongly for help; but they are only deceivers.
From foreign countries, and springing up
in our own midst, this class will grow in our
city, unless due caution is taken to prevent it.
They will live on the earnings Of others, and
produce nothing themselves, and divert chart
ty from its proper objects.
/ would warn people against giving to
strangers at their own door. Aiding such,
whether to get rid of them, or feeling that pos
sibly you may turn needy, suffering person
away, or whether you have adopted princi-
pie always to give something to every one that
asks, you are encouraging an evil, which here
after, unless prevented, will be very difficult
to remove. Foreigners observe the freedom
of our city.from this great evil. The aversion
of our New England people to begging has
ever been considered as having its basis in
good and substantial reasons. do not say
that you should not have those come, whom
you know, to receive your charities, nor that
you should refuse altogether to give. Fan
from it. But first have their true character
inquired into, either by yourself, or some one
selected for this purpose.
Not long since young woman was solicit
ing aid for soldiers family. No such family
lived in the city. A boy goes round asking
for work, or for money to go out of town, OF
to buy medicine for a sick one in the family
The money which his apparently innocent
looking face draws from the kind hearted is
spent in candy and in riding in the horse cars
girl fifteen years old G pes about wretchedly
clad to excite sympathy. Investigation proves
her statements false. And thus on are nu-
merous cases of the kind. Calls to help
real sufferers are numerous, and we do not
wish to have your sympathies and money
wasted on worthless deceivers.
Recently benevolent friends have put into
our hands money to give to several families
which in former articles have been alluded to.
Now there is no donation to a poor family
more acceptable than barrel of -four. By
extra effort ten barrels were procured for as
many families. Such smiling faces, and such
heartfelt expressions of gratitude would give
you some idea of the Divine Teachers mean
ing with regard to the blessedness of giving
and receiving. -
There sits mother thinking of the wants
OF five or six dependent children. Something
is earned, but not enough to meet the necessi-
ties of living. The question how tc provide
bread for them presses heavily on her heart,
and prayer goes up to Heaven that some
way may be open for an adequate supply.
She lies down to rest, but her anxiety keeps
her awake. Morning comes, but the day looks
dark. Still she hopes against hope for relief.
Hours pass, still her heart is heavy. Present.
ly the team drives up to the door, and I'M
loads barrel of flour. at cannot be mine, =
she says to the man, cit must belong to some.
body else" On being assured that it is un.
mistakably hers, the fountain of her heart
breaks up, and her great joy and gratitude
are expressed in sobs and tears. and SO choked
is her utterance by her feelings, that she can
not tell him where to put it.
Reader, this is no fancy sketch. 1t is 8
real case in this city, and there are many sim.
liar. Her feelings are those of one who does
not desire gifts, but knows how to appreciate
them when they come. Those kind friends
who have put into our hands the means to
buy and distribute the -four to relieve such
are assured that such aid, at such time, is
received with heartfelt gratitude. Occasions
OF this kind make donations doubly precious
Ii those who are troubled about investing
their surplus money would only appropriate &
good portion of it in gifts to the poor, they
would never be troubled with an insane tempt
alton of coming to want. And they are as
sured by the great Treasurer, that all they in
vest in this way will be returned in good
measure, pressed down, shaken together ant
running over. In the farewell words of one
OF the greatest men that ever lived we finC
the ipjuuction:-"I have showed you al
things, how that SO laboring We ought to sup
port the weak, and to remember the words o
the Lord Jesus, how he said, 1T is more bless
ed to give than to receive.'' OPT.
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