New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-25
AN INTERESTING INCIDENT.
"Casting Bread Upon the Waters" that
Returns After Many Days-The House
Of Representatiyes.
From the Courier-J Journal.

L
/ From the Courier-JournaL1
1t was twenty-five years ago. gentle
man-this time, in fact, IA solitary horse
man"-was on his way back to old Virginia.
to revisit the home of his childhood. His
father had moved to Kentucky from "the
| Mother of States" and settled in Todd
| county few wears before. His eldest son,
| at the period men toned, had just attained
his majority, and being presented with, per
/ haps, his first horse, handsomely capari
| soned- he set out across the mountains of
Eastern Kentucky, horseback, provided
| with the necessary adjuncts of that mode
of travel, pair of saddle bags and "leg-
| gings."
This was before the era of railroads in
Kentucky, and hence the young gentle
man did not suffer the tedium one would
experience on such journey now-for GO
ing and coming, not only horsemen, but
wagons, buggies, carriages etc., relieved
the monotony, and furnished number Of
those trlt1ing incidents so gratifying to
SOLITARY horsemen" generally. These were
then the only modes of travel over that
route-and long wagon trains of families,
and even of whole neighborhoOds setting
West. were met every day.
While crossing the mountains one evening
a few miles beyond the Virginia border, he
came face to face with spectacle which
was in all respects pitiable and distressing
Sitting on the roadside was a man with his
wife and two or three children, whose Woe
begOne and squallid appearance indicated
not only poverty, but almost absolute
starvation. 1t was poor family moving
West. Having become completely bank
rupt in Virginia by some sudden failure,
they had gathered up what little of house
hold goods the sheriff had left them and
started for Kentucky. The two skeleton
frames of horses which were used for draw
ing their little store of plumber, were ener-
getically endeavoring to extract sustenance
''by the skin of their teeth" from the barren
soil, as the young man rode UP.
As our hero drew the reins for a few mo-
ments chat with this ''beggarly account" he
was saluted by the ''head" with the Masonic
sign, which, being himself Mason, he at
once recognized and returned. The poor
husband and father thus meeting the frs.
friend he had seen since leaving home,
poured out his whole heart to the young
stranger. His story begat lively interest,
revealing, as it did, a tale of misfortune
without crime. Our hero was soon i'm
pressed with the fact that, Notwithstanding
outside appearances were decidedly against
this brother" he was not only d remark
ably bright Mason, but a gentlemen of ex-
cellent manners, good education and high
breeding.
when tell you that my poor wife and
children have scarcely eaten enough to keep
them alive for three days, you will excuse
these unmanly tears" said he, weeping
freely as he gazed at the little hungry limo
cents clinging around him.
The young traveller was himself moved
to tears, and could not doubt his own eyes,
though the picture was one he had not ex-
pected to meet, and one which he had, per
haps, never met before.
He at once handed the unfortunate hus-
band and father twenty dollars, almost the
last cent of money he had, retaining only
sufficient to take him to the end of his jour
ney by scant allowance, not caring to
keep any to return on. The stranger in
sisted on receiving only five dollars, trust
ing to Providence for enough to complete
his journey to that part of Kentucky
whittier he was moving; but the young
mans heart was too large not to have given
five times that amount if be had been able
Besides this las he himself relates i'll his
eyes filled with tears, as did those of the
father and mother. while the poor hungry
children literally devOured the fragments of
a lunch which the young Samaritan had
brought with him from his last breakfast.
Amid the tears and blessings of the little
circle the kind hearted stranger rode off
thanking God that it had been in his power
to bestow so much happiness and so Oppor-
tunely.
",
about forgotten, when the benevolent young
gentleman received letter, inclOsing a
twenty-dollar bill, gratefully recalling the
circumstance above related. announcing
that the family had reached their destina- |
ton in southwestern Kentucky, and that the |
father was again merchant, making money |
and living happily.
Almost another decade, including in its |
whir and turmoil the bloody story of the |
iVI ha1 eI,,
out all memory of the occurrence, when the |
hero of the story, now long since grown to |
mans estate, and become distinguished in |
the political history of Kentucky, was
elected TO the lower Honse of the Legisla-
ture. His talents and influence were such |
that, with but little difficulty. he was
elected Speaker of the House During the
contest over the Speakership, he had
noticed that a stranger-and a member of
the radical side-was one of his most active
supporters. Meeting him few days after,
the accomplished Speaker remarked:
1" Mr.. -, L have been curious to know
why you were among my very warmest |
friends during the election-doing all you
could for me. | never met you before in my
life; your very name is unknown to me; we
are opposed in politics, and, while thanking
you kindly for your partiality, / have
g enough of the woman in me to insist on
hearing why it was So"
Sir" replied the member. "you will re-
call, when | mention it, little scene that
occurred when you were boy on your way
to Virginia (relating it). 1t was you who
saved my wife from starvation. She has
told me time and again that never did a
mOrsel of food taste so sweet-so utterly
delicious, as that you gave her then. She
was but six years old at that time; but
when she saw your name, during the late
among the prominent probable
candidates for the speakership, she laid
down the law as to how | was to vote.
This is all. Neither she nor her father and
mother, brothers and sisters nor myself can
ever forget you"
One of the saddest sights to be seen in
Paris since the commencement of the series