The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-06-09
Casting Bread upon tha wa,sr

I - IN AproIecGeQ IemaleS who traYel
ABOUT and need assistance"
--a-~E->p
Casting Bread Upon the Water"
1t was twenty-five years AGO. A
gentleman-this time, in fact aa sol
itary horseman"-was on his wsv
tack to old Virginia, to revisit the
home of his childhood. His father
had removed to Kentucky from athe
Mother of States" and settled in
Todd county a few years before.
His eldest son, at the period men
toned, had just, attained his ma
jority; and being presented with,
perhaps his first horse, handsomely
caperisoned, he set out across the
mountains Of Eastern Kentucky,
horseback, provided with the neces-
sary adjuncts of that mode Of travel,
a pair of saddlebags and 'leggings.
This was before the era of rail
roads in Kentucky, and hence the
young gentleman did not suffer the
tedium one would experience on
such journey nOw-for going and
coming, not only horsemen but wag-
ons, buggies, carriages DC, relieved
the monotony, and furnished a num-
Der Of those trifing 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, where met every day.
While crossing the mountains, one
evening, few miles bevond the Vir-
ginir border, he came face to face
with a spectacle which was in all re-
spect pitiable and distressing. Sit
ting on the roadside was a man with
his wife and two or three children,
whose Woe-begone and squalid ap-
pesrence indicated not only poverty
but almost absolute starvation. It
was a poor family moving West.
Having become completely bankrupt
in Virginia, by some sudden failure,
they had gathered up what little of
household goods the sheriff had left
them and started for Kentucky.
The two skeleton frames Of horses
which were used for drawing their
little store of plunder were energet-
ically endeYoring to extract susten-
ance 'by the skin Of their teeth"
from the barren soil, as the young
man rode up.
As our hero drew the re1ns for
few moments chat with this abeg-
carly account he was saluted by the
head" with Masonic sign, which,
being himself Mason, he at once
recognized and returned. The poor
husband and father thus meeting
the first friend he had seen since
leaving home, poured out his whole
heat to the young stranger. His
story begat a lively interest-reveal-
ing, as it did, a tale Of misfortune
without crime. Our hero was soon
impressed with the fact that, not
withstanding outside appearances
were decidedly against this "brother,"
he was not only a remarkable bright
Mason, but a gentleman Of excellent
manners, good education, high breed
ing.
"When tell you that 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 innocents
clinging around him.
The young traveller himself was
moved to tears and could not doubt
his own eyes, though the picture
was one he had not expected to
meet, and one which he had,
perhaps, never met before.
He at once handed the unfortunate
husband and father 500, almost the
last cent ofmoney he had-retaining
only sufficient to take him to the end
ofhis journey bV a scant allowance
not caring to keep any to return
on. The stranger insisted on receiv-
ing only So, trusting to Providence
for enough to complete his journey
to that part ofKentucky whittier he
was moving; but the young mans
heart was too large not to have given
five times that amount if he had
been able. Besides this (as he him
self relates it, his eyes filed with
tears, as did those of the frther and
mother, while the poor, hungry chill
dren literally deyoured the frag-
ments of lunch which the young
Samaritan had brought with him
fromhis last breakfast.
Amid the tears and blessings of
the little circle the hind-hearted
stranger rode of, thanking God that
it had been in his power to bestow
so much happiness and so oppor-
tunelY.
Years passed by, and the incident
was about forgotten, when the ben
evolent young gentleman received a
letter, inelosing a $40 bill, gratefully
recalling the circumstances above
related, announcing that the family
had reached their destination in
Southwestern Kentucky and that the
father was again merchant, max
ing money and living happily.
Almost another decade, including
in its whirl and turmoil the bloody
story of the great civil war, had
once more about shut out all memo
ory of the occurrence, when the hero
of the story, now long since grown
TO mans estate, and become dis
tinguished in the political history
of Kentucky, was elected to the
Lower House of the Legislature.
His talents and influence were such
that. with but little difficulty, he was
elected Speaker of the House. Dur
inc tbe contest over the Speaker
shin: he had noticed that a stranger
and q member Of the Radical side
was one of his most active sup
porters. Meeting him a few days
after the accomplished Speaker re-
marked:
'AIr.@, have been curious to
know why you were among my very
warmest friends during the election
all you could for me. I
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, 1 have enough Of the
woman" in me to insist on hearing