The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-06-08
w SORTS OF CHARITY
A story by Mrs. Rebeeca Harding
Davis.

Even among the leading, most zealoui
men Of St. Matthew'S, there was a wide
divergence of opinion and practice con
corning the best mode OF helping their
less fortunate brethren. Notably wa'
this the case with two Of the yestrymeu
Geo, L. Kensett and Col. Rodman. Both
were men Of great wealth; both, as il
happened, without heirs, and both anx
ious to use their money in the way most
helpful to the world. They differed how
ever much as to the way.
There never was q more genial soul
born into the world than old Father
KeDsett, as he was called in the parish
There was something in the bald head,
the ilorid beaming face, the fat little ig.
ure cased in the blue coat, brass bnttons
and nankeen waistcoat Of the last gener.
alton, when he appeared on the streets,
that attracted beggars and tramps ss
would q glowing FIRE set on the frozen
highway. They beset the old gentleman
by night and day with their tales Of woe;
they attacked him with tears, prayers,
circulars, letters; they anne as starving
paupers, discharged criminals needy au:
thors, reduced %gentlewomen. The old
fellow scolded and clustered, made them
promise to go TO church, and handed out
whatever money they wanted. His heart
was more tender than that OF any woman
in 81. Mathews; he found each fresh case
one Of peculiar hardship. BE acknoWl.
edged he had been swindled 8 thousand
times, but '' this last poor devil has truth
written on his face"
Everybody said 1t was scandalous 70
leave a man to bs so preyed upon, and
that he was no more competent 10 direct
his charity than a child. Men like Mr.
Kensett are very apt TO be influenced by
what everybody says. BE suddenly shut
his face against indiscriminate almsglv,
ing, and denounced everything in the
shape Of a beggar. "Keep them ont,
Tom" be told bis servant; " I'll not see .
widow or orphan Of the lot. Individual
charity Is the bane Of society. II Is the
nursing mother Of pauperism." He had
been reading the views OF certain politi.
cal economists. "The only sure way
be told Colonel Rodman, to deal with
this mass OF wr~etchedness below Us, is 70
deal with Il as q mass, through organized
charities. ] propose to give my money
in that way, and not to dribble it any
longer, here and there, Intellectually, "a
this cripple or that idiot. But | want
them to keep out OF my sight, siri-Out o.
my sight"
He knew his own weakness,and that be
would trust any Of them on sight. He
simply handed over his absolute trust
from The crippled and orphaned beggarsl
to the managers and superintendants o
homes for orphans and cripples, quite
forgetting that the n class were human
beings, lust as well as the other, and thai
his money was s temptation, and his Gre
dulity material out Of which q comiorta
bic support could be gained for both
He gave, therefore, every half year larg'
sums to m Orphan Asylum, and q Houst
Of Refuge and Reform School; sums &C
large that he was very soon appointed |
director OF both. The germ Of every suct
institution is usually Matched out Of The
brain Of some noble enthusiast, who has
found In it, he thinks, the cure for all tht
worlds diseases. The actual manage
ment OF the institutions, however, wa
consigned to practical men who mad'
the control OF these large bodies OIL pau
pers aad juvenile criminals "a much Of q
business a. other men did the importing
Of dry goods, or manufacture Of hogs
heads, Mr.. Keusett had 3 lofty faith II
the wisdom and humanity Of these super
I~ptendents. When with the other direc'
tors he partook Of the usual dinner, O.
made a formal round Of the monstron!
establishments, he regarded them wiz
awe, as men set apart for q great work
he looked with delight at the exquisit
cleanliness OF the floors, and 81 the vas
apparatus in the kitchens and laundries
aCan any one doubt that the WORT
lmoyes?n be cried. "Look at what soeiet.
and humanity are doing for these poo
lcreatureslp -,
The poor creatures were reviewed II
batallions. They did not look partlcu
larry happy or grateful for the blessing
showered upon them, which was noted b.
the directors a. q proof Of the deprayit.
OF theirs class. No attempt was eve
made by these directors, or the men an'
women who contributed TO support th
institutions, to come in personal con
tact with these children, or TO find wha
effect the discipline was having upol
their hearts or lives. Individual infu
ence wa totally unknown to any Of thes
hundreds Of little ones. They worket
In gangs, they played in gangs, the.
slept in gang; at the tap Of q bell the.
ATE; at the tap Of bell they stoppe'
M. Kensettis old heart ached a. b
walked through the row Of wistful littl
faces; ' Q the dreadful uniformity Of tn
brown coats which they wofe i~rritate,
him, 1Poor little chap he said, put
ting his hand on the head Of one pun.
! fellow. aft you only had q mother :
hug YOU and spank you aud take you j
, hef arms and tell you the story Of Jesus!
. The SUPERINTENDENT smiled the smile Q
a philosopher indulgent TO human weak
SYou must not think their religion
education y neglected" he said, and tap
ped the bell once.
They declaimtd the creed holding o.
their hands.
He tapped IL twice.
They hoWled out the Lords prayel
elasping their hands.
"f do not think you can find any ianl
with our systRm there he said loitily.
In short, with each visit Mr.. Kensel
was more abAshed and Awed BY these 50
perintendents. They were experts !
training souls. They trained them
masseS, built up the body polite vii
them precisely as . brieklayer build,