The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-09-14

Matterson, President of the Royal Lon
don Society for the Encouragement of
Benevolence.
AS matter of course, before he had
got block away from the hotel, every
one knew all he had said and done, and
all considered him some crazy fanatic.
Then a report got abroad that he was an
immensely rich but insane Englishman,
who spent yearly hundreds of thousands
in seeking those out who were willing to
lend aid to the needy, and in rewarding
them afterward, so that according to his
cracked brain, the cause of charity might
be in a general way accelerated.
The next evening he came again ask
ing aims, and every one was on the look
out for him. He first singled out the
three gentlemen who had given him
twenty-five cents each, and very quietly
passed each an envelope containing $2.-
so, and small card, upon which was
printed "Give and you shall receive. "
"Cast your bread on the waters, and it
shall be returned to you tenfold. ere
member the example of Sir Orlando
Matterson as you journey through life. "
Sir Orlando Matterson took S73 in
donations from the house that night,
and it was noticeable that those whom
his example had thus quickened were
very careful that he should have their
correct address. The same result fol-
lowed in each of the score of the hotels
and sample-rooms which he had initia-
ted on the night before. The third night
he, with solemn face, returned to each
donor of the previous night the exact
ten-fold promised.
cit would be a joy which l would
consider cheaply purchased" said he
confdentially to dozen gentlemen,
eff at the cost of half million dollars
could teach the citizens of this beauti-
full city to be thoroughly generous to the
poor"
This night he was like the ticket sell
er at the railroad. One, two, five, ten,
and even twenty dollar bills were showed
at him on all sides, SO great had been
the awakening in the cause of benevo-
lence which the example of Sir Orlando
Matterson had aroused. A benign smile
hovered about his mouth, and tear that
glittered betimes in his mild, kind eye
proclaimed the joy his soul felt as he
showed bill after bill into his pockets and
gazed with the look of father upon his
converts.
That night Canada Bill shows up to
Beau Hickman something over sI8, 900.
"We'll split now," suggested Bill, as
he ceased counting.
"Twouldn't give you $4,000, "
quoth Hickman. ''Let it be till to-mor-
row night. think | can raise little
hush-money' on this racket"
Next night Beau Hickman went the
rounds, and found groups Of expectant
converts waiting to see Sir Orlando Mat
terson. One at a time, as fast as he
could do SO, he would take one after
another of the most prominent gentle,
men aside and whisper in his ear:
81 have got little subscription book
here which was handed to me by a friend
as he took the train this morning fol
New York. Sorry you got sold Oh Or
lando Matterson. He's skipped out
That was Canada Bill, the three-card
monte man.
SIS that SOP"
''Sure. Here's the book, with youl
name in it for $40"
"Well, for gracious sake, Beau, dom
show that notebook to any one. Anc
scratch my name off it, will you?"
Certainly" said Hickman, scratch
ing over the name with his pencil
"but, Governor, I'm kind ashort to-
night. Couldn't you lend me $40 til
tomorrow ?"
With wry face the victim would pul
forth his pocket-book, and placing the
bill demanded in Hickman hand would
slip quietly from the hotel to the street
That night the two worthless divided
and the share of each was over twelve
thousand dollars.
Both Beau Hickman and Canada Bill
whose tricks on the unwary obtained fol
them thousands of dollars, died poor
and were buried as pauperS; and the
moral is, that no matter how much {
man makes dishonesty or by triCkery
he will sooner or later be found out, anC
doubtless die miserable, deserted out
cast.