Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-01-23
KINDNESS AND ITS REWARD.


Alice sat in front of the little table,
washing the breakfast dishes, bright
haired girl, with large, wistful blue
ewes, whom you would never suspect to
be cripple until you saw that she was
seated on wheeled chair by means of
which she propelled herself back and
forth.
Yet, although she herself was the
only servant of the establishment, the
floor was daintily clean, the windows
shune like sheeted diamonds and the
curtains were white and neatly darned.
For little Alice, at eighteen, was q
born housekeeper, and took as much
delight in the details of her homely,
domestic life as if she had been child
PLAYING with dolls house instead of
Moses Haywood's crippled daughter.
"It is puzzling sometimes" said
Alice, wrinkling her pretty brows over
the housekeeper's book; "because
there's only just so much money and
the expenses have got to be met; and if
you get the least little bit in debt, there
it is, hanging around your neck like q
milestone to the end of the year. But
then, again, if there weren't any diff
culties in this style of housekeeping,
where would be the creditP'
And then Alice would shake her
bright brown braids, bite the end of her
pencil and begin again with her trouble
some array of figures.
But upon this particular day the color
burned more feverishly than ever in
her cheek; the teacups clinked nervous
lxyt tAn haV oh Tin than
But Moses Haywood, white-haired,
prematurely old man, sat over his
"Classical Dictionary at the other
end of the room and only smiled quiet
ly. a..
Fifty pounds" said Alice. "It's a
deal of money, father, dear, and you've
been years saving it up"
"You are right, my DEAR" said the
school-master, calmly 1t is deal of
money. But what is money worth if
we can't use it to help our fellow Great
ures withP"
"And 1 dare say he's ever so much
richer than you, father" pursued
Alice.
"He is my wite's cousin, Alice" said
the old man, "and he is in sore need.
Be comforted, my child, it is only a
loan"
"Only loanr' repeated indignant
Alice. "Father, you'll never see it
again. People are always borrowing,
and nobody ever thinks of repaying
money"
"Gently, daughter Alice, gently"
chided the old man. "It is best to be
charitable to all men in thought as well
as in deed. 1t is true that had antic.
ipated laying this ESQ out in few
books for myself, new dress for you
and a carpet for our sitting room; but
never mind. We shall do very we'll as
we are, and if Mr.. Watkins really need;
this money"
81 don't believe he needs it half as
much as we do" burst in Alice.
And she wheeled her chair across the
room to give the linnet his fresh seeC
and water, while Haywood, folding ur
the ffty-pound note which had beer
the bone of contention, placed it in al
envelope and walked quietly away.
"Its too bad of father" though
Alice, left alone by herself. 81 do be
lieve he would give the coat of hi
back if any one asked for it. But b,
ought to think of himself and he ough
to think of me-"
And a few unconscious tears splasheC
down on the linnet's glass water-cup a
Alice thought of the long-treasured fift,
pounds.
Just week subsequently Mr.. Waite
Watkins sat in his back parlor,
wrinkled old gentleman with light-blu,
eyes like staring marbles and curiou
upward sneer to the curves of his mouth
while ON the table in front of him lay
pile of letters.
"Now we'll see," said Mr.. Watkin
to himself, "what all the ties of rela
tionship are worth. I've written pitt
full letters to my six cousins, and I'll b
willing to wager the biggest damon,
in my ring that there isn't penny il
all these letters. Well, Wen see, vel
see."
The first letter, as it transpired, wa
from the Rev. Theodore Talkington
who stated that he was quite unable b
help his cousin Wslter except by goo
advice.
81 thought So" said Mr.. Watkins.
The second WIS from Mrs. Calist
Jones, the wife Of a prosperous mer
chant.
"My dear cousin,'' it said, in littl
spider-webby characters, "your lette
fills me with surprise. Such neeessit
can only have its source in dissipatio
or speculation. With neither of thes
can you expect me, a Christian matror
sympathi;ie. Under the circumstance
] must beg to decline further posts
communication with you. Respectful
ly," ETC., 5tc.
The upward curves around Mr.. Wa
kins' mouth heightened themselves OF
into the nearest approach to smile
which che caustic old gentleman eve
INDUCED as he neatly labelled an
docketed this letter also and opene
still .he third, in which Mr.. Ben1ami
Countenay regretted the straightene
sta.e of his financial affairs, and blunt
recommended some public charitabl
Institution as the best refuge for h
Cousins declining years
"Humph, humphp' muttered NJ
Watkins. $50 he would pack me o
TO the poor-house, would hep Ver
kind and considerate Of him, very"