Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1873-12-26
BREAD UPON THE WATERS.

/ ticular instance of suffering povert,
it IS not unusual for him to regret tia
his means are inadequate for the 1ul
est practical expression Of his Syn
pathy, and feel sure that il they wer
the least bit larger. his charities woul
be as frequent as his opportunities
In some cases the feeling finally take
the form of a definite resolution, tha
if his pecuniary income shall eve
reach certain moderately practicabl
figures, a fixed pesueiIga thereo
shall be devoted yearly and systemati
cally to the needs of others. Thus d
the kindest natures temporize, on oe
casions, with their nobleSt inclinations
not realizing that the attempt to defe
! the act of benificence until circum
stances may render it less sacrificia
of self will be likely to maintain itsel
by as good argument through every
ascending degree Of fortune, until i
has become the pretext of all that il
misery and pitiless. Some exceptiona
characters, however, do seem to carry
into their prosperity the generous re
solves of earlier inability, and q story
like the following is as pleasant in its
illustration of such characteristics as
IN its more general moral element.
twenty-five years ago a young ply
sician named Wieting, of Syracuse
New York, was just beginning to REAP
commensurate reward for a previous
career of self-denying study, unpaid
industry, and needy endurance-hay
ing developed an ability as a profes
sional lecturer by which both reputa,
ton and profit were coming to him
rapidly. A part of the qualification
he experienced from this rise in life
was in the thought that it would en-
able him, possibly, to help some "for-
lorn and shipwreckcd brother;" wher-
ever he went his heart and hand were
ready for generous deeds, and in ad,
dressing an audience he was quick to
discern i'll it any apparently poor stu
dent to whose suppositious case might
be addressed words of cheer and sym
pathy.
During a series of lectures on physi-
ology and the laws Of health at Gum
cy, Massachusetts,, in the winter Of
1849, he noticed amongst the regular
attendants pale faced, poorly -attired,
and singularly intellectual locking
young man. whose earnest aEtan4iaaa
and fixed gaze iadiyidllal!zed him TO
such degree in his observation that
at last he found himself almost desig-
mating him specially in seine OF his
spoken remarks.
From Quincy the lecturer went with
lis course to Plymouth, III the same
State, and when there, again the
strange youth appeared as one OF his
auditors. He determined to ascertain
who he was, b1it before he could take
the ordinary steps to such end the
faithful follower undertook lis own in
t2oduction-
After the lecture one evening the
youthful stranger sought the doctor
on the platform, and, giving his name
as w. Il. Wright, asked the privilege
of brief conversation. lie was, he
said poor Massachusetts, boy, not yet
of age, without relatives or friends,
who felt in himself a possibility of
great things and an irresistible insplr-
alton to find some one who had the
mind and means to- assist. Accident
had led him to attend the first lecture
in Quincy, when, at first sight OF the
lecturers face, he had been impressed
with a sense of peculiar natural SYM
pathy between them. Aside from the
matter of the scientific discourse the
speakers personality had exercised
over him magnetism not to be either
described or resisted, SO that he had
been impelled to follow to Plymouth.
It was his final conviction that the
stranger so influencing him could be
no other than the great friend whom
his needs had instigated him to look
for, and in this belief he now wished
to submit certain proposition. The
California gold fever had just broken
out; he felt absolutely sure that If he
could go out as q miner it would be to
certain riches, and his proposal was
that. in consideration of receiving half
of the results of the golden venture,
the lecturer should supply him with a.
pecuniary outfit tic the extent OF 81,
900!
AZ shall surely succeed concluded
the youth, with singular earnestness
Of manner. "Only lend me the sum
ask and have faith in my honesty,
and I will make fortunes for both OF
us. Trust me and you shall find me
trlle-D
Extraordinary and incongruolls as
this proposition to a scientific lecturer
was, Doctor Wieting did not receive
it so astoundedly as more ordinary
character might have done. Ihe
stranger had nragnetized him IN his
turn, and the disposition to charity,
Of which previous mention has been
made. inclined him to take peculiar
view of the curious appllcafr0n.-
Hence. instead of dismissing the ap-
plicant as a lunatic, or a very shallow
and audaeious imposter he told him
TO call upon him at his rooms on the
fo following low day. Nor did subsequent
reflection and consultation with his
more worldly-minded brother, who was
his business agent; induce the benevo-
|ent lecturer to think worse OF the
would be Californian.
In short, at the next appointed IN |
teryiew he thought still more highly