The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1879-09-03
WEDNESDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 3, l879

takes a heap Of victuals to fill him
upP
Indeed, the metamorphosis,
both physical and mental, that
had taken place in the boy by the
time the school-year had closed
was something wonderful. AL
though he refused to take his din
ners at the hotel after the first
term at my expense, he continued
taking them there during the year,
paying for them by doing errands,
pumping water, etc. He grew
plump and sleek, learned to read,
spell and write, and after short
time had little or no difficulty
with the four fundamental pro-
cesses of arithmetic. All his old
time nervousness, irritability and
frequent fits of apathy were gone.
He readily fell into studious ways
and soon mastered whatever he
undertook. His dogged persis-
! tence was remarkable. His de-
pertinent was also exemplary he
never gave me the least trouble,
and tried to serve me every way
in his power.
In due time | entered Vassar,
and graduated. Subsequently /
taught here and there a year or
two and then married my hus-
band, whom you have met here.
Having heard nothing whatever
Of Tom Strong, or from this vii
lage for years, one day, just after
l had begun housekeeping, ! was
surprised to got letter with the
familiar name of Marshton upon
it as the postmark here it is, for
l brought it down with me this
morning, having determined to
confde to you this, one of the
pleasantest episodes of my life,
some time during the day, were
you at leisure and willing to
grant me- the opportunity
l took the letter in my hand.
Its chirography was plain but
handsome, and it read:
MARsHToN, April 18, 18-.
Mrs. Rev. DR.. Andre,o KvoWlton /:
DEAR MADAM-I saw your mar
riage in the newspapers the other
day, and that was the first and
only intelligence I have had Of
you since you taught school in
this village. Are you really dear
Miss Dexter, and do you remem-
Der poor stupid, Tom Strong =?
Well, l am be. In short, l want
to thank you for making a man of
me. The first realization I ever
had that I was a human being
like the other boys tyour school,
with capabilities for self-improve-
ment and future usefulness, came
through your labors in my behalf
in the school room, and your
charitable provision for my bodi-
ly wants at good Mrs. Riggs
bountiful table. When you found
me I was nearly starved, body
and soul. we'll remember just
how those dinners, meal by
meal, built me up, mentally as we'll
as physically. Those reading les
sons in the New Testament, too,
built me up in spiritual way.
In every sense Of the word I was
born again that memorable year
under your kind care. | kept on
staying at the hotel, doing chores
for board and schooling. I crept
up and up, until Mrs. Rugg died,
when 1 became proprietor Of the
hotel myself. Our pleasant village
here by the sea has grown to be
quite famous summer resort.
TO keep pace with the public de-
mands, [ have greatly enlarged
the hotel, and have added many
modern improvements. And now
I beg leave to invite you and your
distinguished husband to come and
make me a visit whenever it shall
be most convenient to you.
Yours, most gratefully,
THOMAS II, STRONG.
| handed back the letter to the
sweet little woman, the eyes OF
both of US sufused with tears,
while size said: The July follow
ing the receipt of this letter, when
my husbands annual vacation be-
gan, we accepted the invitation,
and have been here every year
since. We have our old rooms new
ly furnished this season, and we are
oro,I 70 oo,1pt oc nna 0f oOr hest,