Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-05-04
Hospitality without GrudgIug.

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-Shis morning q poor man came to
our house TO sell my father 4 cow
He had walked five miles through
the snow, and looked very tired
lie was so sorry to part with his
COW, out said they had all been sick
this fall, and he was obliged to do
so IN order 10 get food for the chill
dren through the winter. lie look
ed far from strong, aud / pitied
him. But my mother did more
than that. She came into the kitch-
en- where l was pairing potatoes, for
our dinner and said:
Just wash your hands, Edith,
and get out the little waiter; put a
plate of biscuit on it, while l heat
up this coffee; now you may put on
a little plate Of butter, Il piece of
mince-pie and some dOughnuts. L
viii cut of some beef from the out
side OF this roast, as it Is nice and
brown. Now all i ready but the
coffee, and that will boil in a minute
or two over this hot coal fire. Take
il now, and put it on the little stand
before MIR. Weaver. l know il will
do him good; | dare say they live
poorly this nard winter"
felt sorry for the man, but il
took my good mother to do all this
for his comfort. She always offers
refreshment to persons stopping
here whom she thinks would be the
better for it. l never knew my
mothers cupboard so empty that
there was not something in it for
! the needy. l don't believe there Is
poor child in the town who has
not had cause TO remember il one
time or another They like to come
to our house on errands.
1t did my heart good TO see tho
pleased look on the poor mans face.
The surprise was so great he hardly
knew what to say at first. But l
did not wait long in the room after
placing it before him, as l thought
he could eat more comfortably if
left to himself. lie looked over the
waiter with real famine-Lke eager
ness, much as he tried TO restrain
himself.
"Give him a good price for his
COW, father l whispered, as L pull
Ell his sleeve when he was passing
through into the dinning-roOm.
GLOW much sre you willing to de-
ny yourself for the sake of his poor
family, pussyP he asked pinching
my cheeks softly.
"About five dollars, l think, faith
er."
"All right, then," he said, giving
me one of his quiet laughs in the
corner of his gray eyes.
My father does not beat a poor
man down in his prices. L believe
he does business just as he thinks
the Lord would approve if he were
standing by. If there is one lesson
of my childhood which | shall never
forget, it is this-of being kind TO
the poor. He made his bargain with
the man, and when he counted out
the bills he laid a fivc-dollar note on
the top, and said:
"There is a Christmas gift for
your little ones"
The poor man burst into tears.
After while he said:
"Mr. Gray, l always heard you
were good man to the poor, but
l never expected such treatment as
| have had here to-day. May the
Lord reward you a hundred fold! If
you will let me, miss, l'll take these
doughnuts you have set for me,
home to my little Jane. l wouldn't
be so bold, but she has been poorly
ever since she got over the sickness,
and yesterday she was crying for
one of these very fried cakes"
"Take them and welcome" | said,
''and L will send her paper of them
beside"
1t did not take my mother long to
fill up the large basket she had with
good things for that poor family,
not forgetting some especial dainties
in one corner for the sick child.
awe can do without do ughnuts
till next baking day." she said, as
she emptied the whole painful into
the basket
L know that poor family viii have
one good meal this winter, and 1
would eat potatoes and salt for din
ner for week for the sake of the
pleasure it gives me every time l
think of it. Father hailed a team
which was passing and got the man
ride almost to his home. He went
away with a very different look from
that which he wore when he came in.
When have a home of my own,
mean to use hospitality just as my
mother does. l wish there were
more housekcepers "giVen" to it as
the is. l am sure that poor family
will not soon forget her; and think,
after all, we have the most unmixed
happiness about it.-Edith Gray.