The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-09-07

w ASoA SuunlueIhut1 WuEEleu, lbt tuht
they are suffering for the common nee.
essaries OF life. It is all very we'll to
tell man to help himself, but, II his
arm be paralyzed, or he have no key to
open the provision shop, he will soon
starye under that'system OF benevolence.
Feed and clothe o man first, and then
set him to work to help himself, He
will have life in his heart and strength
in his hands.
1This sounds all very fair, Mr..
Jonas; and yet, there is not so much
trus charity involved there as appears
on the surface. 1t will avail little, how
ever, for us to debate the matter now.
Your time and mine are both OF too
much value during business hours for
useless discussion. l cannot give,
understandingly, in the present case,
and so must disappoint your expecta-
ton in this quarter"
"Good morning, then," said Mr..
Jonas, bowing rather coldly.
Good morning, pleasantly respond.
ed Mr.. Prescott, as his visitor turned
and left his store.
CAN mean excuse for not giving"
said Mr.. Jonas, to himself, as he walked
rather hurriedly away. az don't be-
lieye much in the benevolence Of your
men who are so particular about the
why's aud wherefores 80 afraid to'give a
dollar to q poor, starving fellow.crea.
ture, lest the oct encourage vice or idle
ness"
The next person upon whom MIR.
Jonas called, happened to be very much
Of Mr.. Prescott's way Of thinking; and
the next chanced to know something
about the family for whom he was
soliciting aid.
"a lazy, vagabond set I" exclaimed
the individual, when Mr.. Jonas men
toned his errand, "who would rather
want than work. They may starye be.
fore I give them a shilling"
sis this true?" asked Mr.. Jonas in
surprise. ~
@Certainly IL is. I've had their case
stated before. In fact, I went through
sleet and rain one bitter cold night TO
take them provisions, so strongly had
my sympathies in regard to them been
excited. Let them go to work."
"But can the man get work ?" inquir-
ed Mr.. Jonas.
"0ther poor men, who have families
dependent on them, can get work.
Where there's will there's way.
Downright laziness is the disease In
this case, and tho best cure for which
is a little wholesome starvation. So,
take my advice, and leave this excel.
lent remedy to work out cure"
Mr.. Jonas went back TO his store in
rather vexed state Of mind. ALI his
fine feelings Of benevolence were stiaed.
He was angry with the INDECENT family,
and angry with himself for being the
"fool TO meddle with any business but
his own."
"Catch me on such an errand again,
said he, Indignantly. "1'll never seek
TO do good turn again as long as I
live."
Just as he was saying this, his neigh
Dor Prescott came into his store.
"Where does the poor family live, Of
whom you were speaking to me2" he
inquired.
"oh, don't ask me about them |" ex-
claimed Mr.. Jonas. "I'ye Just found
them out. They're lazy, yagabond
SET"
"You are certain OF that 2"
"Morally certain. Mr.. Caddy says
he knows them like book, and that
they'd rather want than work. With
him, l think little wholesome starva-
tiou will do them good"
Notwithstanding this rather discour.
aging testimony, Mr.. Prescott made o
memorandum Of the street and number
Of the house in which the family lived,
remarking as he did SO:
al have Just heard where tho ser.
vices Of an able.bodied man are want.
ed. Perhaps Gardiner, as you call
him, may be glad 10 obtain the situa-
ton"
"He won't work; that's the charac.
ter ] have received OF him." replied
Mr.. Jonas, whose mind was very much
reused against the man. The pendu.
lum OF his impulses had swung, from o
light touch, to the other extreme.
"a dollar earned, is worth two re-
cOived in charity" said Mr.. Prescott |;
"because the dollar earned corre-
spends to service rendered, and theman
feels that it is his own-that he has IN
undoubted right to its possession. II
eleyates his moral character, inspires
self.respect, and prompts to new efforts.
Mere alms.giying is demoralizing for
the opposite reason. 1t blunts the
moral feelings, lowers the self.respect,
and fosters inactivity and idleness,
opening the way for vice to come in and
sweep away ali the foundations Of in
tegrity. Now, true charity to the poor
is for us TO help them to help them
selves. Since you left me short time
ago, I have been thinking, rather
hastily, over thematter; and the fact
OF hearing about the place for an able.
bodied man. as Just mentioned, has
led mo to call around and suggest your
making interest therefor in behalf OF
Gardiner. Helping him in this way
will be true beneyolonce."
"It's no use" replied Mr.. Jonas, in
o positive tone OF voice. 'tHe's IN
idle, good.ior.nothing fellow, and I'll
have nothing to do with him."
Mr.. Prescott urged tho matter no
farther, for he saw that to do so would
be useless. On his way home, on leay.
ing his store, he called TO sec Gardiner.
He found, in two small, meagerly fur
nished rooms, o man, his wife, and
thee children. Everything about
them indicated extreme poverty and,
worse than this, lack Of cleanliness and
industry. The woman and children had
q look Of health, but the man was EVIL
IDENTIFY the subject Of some wasting dis