Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-12-07
A LEAF FROM A LIFE.

hC elIuPlC idClb IcCOIoSu Ill tIll5 btO-
ry occurred in a city not many miles
from here. 1t would be impossible for
such case to happen in Chicago. We
are the personi6cation of Charity. We
are Angels, and this is Paradise There
fore, | wish it distinctly understood that
write of "pitiful case" as the pa
pers called it, which came under my
notice in distant city, years ago.
AS a rule, physicians are the most
charitable of men. They may not give
fortunes away in aims but their time,
which TO them is money, is freely given
to the suffering, in more cases than one
might suppose. without money and
without price," 1t was upon freezing
cold night that young physician step.
ped into the warm, well.lighted office of
a merchant prince. The doctor was
poor and needy; his coat was worn and
threadbare, and furnished but little
protection against the cold of the sea-
son, because he labored among the poor,
and gave his time to those who were un.
able to pay for it.
The merchant was wealthy, pious,
eminently respectable" member of So
ciety. He was the mainstay of church,
the promoter of charitable schemes, and
a subscriber to all charities-which were
backed by influence, or conferred dis.
tinction upon the giver. The world at
large honored his name; but the men
in his employ were won't to smile my,
teriously when his charities were men-
toned in their hearing, and one of them
was once heard to remark that he ''ney.
er knowed a man so well pamed." Now
rtropUa IN COW tbio modal ,,,oo'e
was Cantter.
SO, into Mr.. Cantter's Office the young
physician walked with some trepidation;
but, being one of the world at large,
was confident that he would be heard,
for he was on begging expedition; not
for hinlss lf-he would rather have died
than beg-but for poor boy who lay
dying in a tenement house in Dead
Mans row-lay dying of starvation. 1t
was too late to save his life--that the
doctor knew but he hoped to raise
sufficient money to make the boy COM
Portable for the remnant of life left him.
AS he opened the door of the counting
room, he saw Mr.. Cantter standing be
fore the glowing grate-fre, declaiming
nobly upon the beauties of true charity
to his bookkeeper, who, being hard
pushed to live upon the pittance paid
him by his employer, was not as en-
thusiastic as his employer would have
had him.
and has not charity, it profteth
him nothing" said Mr.. Cantter, in a
loud tone OF voice, as the door opened,
and the thought flashed through his
mind that perhaps it was the pastor of
his church. The doctor entered, and
suddenly the flood of elcquence which
Mr.. Cantter was pouring out upon the
unresisting clerk was hushed, for he
knew the doctor, and knew also that he
was about to ask for money, and his
hands came from behind his back. went
into his pockets, and remained there.
The doctor, by way of beginning, re-
marked upon the severity of the
eyes," said Mr.. Cantter, "God helm
the poor |"
The bookkeeper, bending over the
ledger, smiled to himself, but said moth.
ing.
The doctor hardly liked the expires.
sion upon the merchants face, and the
oily JUNCTION with which these words
rolled from his mouth, but resolutelv
dashed at his subject. He depicted the
sufferings of the dwellers in Dead Mans
row; the tumble-down houses, admit.
ting the wind and snow at every corner
the famine which reigned in them: and
then, excited by the troubles he had
witr essed, he appealed to the merchant
to help those who were unable to help
themselves.
Warmth usually begets warmth, and
1t is therefore singular, but not less
true, that as the doctor warmed Mr..
Cantter cooled, and when he had finish.
ed speaking that gentleman said:
can do nothing for you. l am a
subscriber to the Magdalens' Home,
the Esculapius Hospital, the Seamen's
Refuge, the North Pole Missions, the
But this is---"
"Tract Societies." continued Mr..
Cantter, calmly ignoring the doctor.
and many other charities. / find INV
TIM entirely taken up, and can
neither spare time nor money tn aid n
vagabond who may be deceiving YOU
tion." ." "''"
"Well, may be not; but | might be
placing premium on dishonesty. and
l hope to aid worthy objects"
" All worthy. no douTt H.. a. ::