The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-08-24

ton frames of horses hich were used
for drawing their little stores of plu nder
were energet;cally endcavpring to ex-
tract sustenance "by the skin of their
teeth" from the barron soil, as the
young man rode up.
AS he drew the reins for moments
chat with this "beggariy account" he
was saluted by the he'd with the
Masonic sign, which, being himself
Mason, he at once recognized and re-
turned. The poor husband and father
thus meeting the first friend he had
seen since leaving home, poured out his
whole heart to the young stranger. II lis
story-begat lively intcrest-reyealing
as it did, q tale of misfortune without
crime. The young man was. soon i'm
pressed with the fact that, notwithstand
ing outside appearances were decidedly
against his "brother," hewas not only
remarkably bright Mason, but gentle
man of excellent manners, good educa-
tion and high breeding.
"When 1 tell you that my poor wife
and children have scarceI i eaten enough
to keep them alive, for three days, you
will excuse these unmasly tears" said
he, weeping freely as DO gazed at the
little hungry innocents cinging aroun d
him.
The young traveller wasjhimself moved
to tears, and could not,doubt his own
eyes, though the picture Sas one he had
expected to meet, and one which he
had, perhaps, never met before.
He at once handed The unfortunate
husband and father $40, a!post the last
cent of money he had-Aretaining only
sufficient to take him to&he end of his
journey by n scant allowsnce-not car
ing to keep any to raturn ON. The
stranger insisted on receiving only So,
trusting to Provideuce -sfor enough to
complete his Journey 70 this part of
Kentucky whittier he asmoving but
the young mans hear; waAteo large not
to have given five times That amount if
he had been able. Besiasae: f=s f=s he be him
self relates il his eyes filled with tears,
as did those Of the father and mother,
while the poor, hungry children literally
dcvoured the fragments Ola 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 happi-
ness and SO orportuncly.
Years passed by and the incident was
about forgotten, when the benevolent
young gentleman received Il letter, in
closing a $50 bill, gratefully recalling
the circumstance above related, announc.
ing that the family had reached their
destination in Southwestern kentucky,
making money and living happily.
Almost another decade, inc!uling in
its whirl and turmoil the bloody story
of the great civil war, had once more
about shut out all memory of the occur
renee, when the hero of the story, now
long since grown to mans estates anl
become distinguished 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 WIS elected
Speaker of the House. During the con.
test over the Speakership, he had noticed
that stranger-and a member of the
opposition-was one OF his most active
a"H?o''cre M"c.;n.. fe@ days fter
the accomplished speaker remarked.
"Mr-, ] have been curious to
know why you were among my wArmcst
friends during the election doing all
you could for me. / never met you be.
fore in my liie-you very name is un-
known to mc-we are opposed in poll
tics-and, while thanking you kindly
for your partiality, l have enough of
the woman in me to Insist Oh knowing
why it was so"
Sir" replied the mombor, "lou will
recall, when | mention it, little scone
that occurred when you were boy on
your way to Virginia (rclating IT'D 1t
was you who saved my wife from starva-
tion. She has told INC time and again
that never did morsel of food taste so
swcct--so utterly delicious, as that you
gave her then. She was but six years
old Mt that time but when she saw
your name, during the late canvass,
among the prominent probable candi-
dates for the Speakerahip she laid down