The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-08-30
NY MIRACLE.

Whon amy one snys that the ngo OF {
nrncle, is over tell him how lroyi. I
lcuee once sent 10 me a tramp who ;
brought 10 me four hundred dollars.
/ had invested my savings IN real o.
nlc, (which was mortgngcd 50 that when
.hu panic of 1919 came. and 50 many
,rholnrs were taken from tho private
schools to bo sent to the public schools,
nv uiilou money was not sufficient to
Enable mo TO pay my inlcrc 4. MY
were therefore loreclosed,
and the foreclosure sale taking pla In
the midst Of the panic, the property was
80 that lost all,
was also driven into bankruptcy by
a greedy person from whom ! had
bought two houses aud two lots for lit-
teen thousand dollars paying him i've
thousand in cash. and leaving the rest
on mortgage. lie was not content TO
receive back aguin his property, with
the iiyo Thousand dollars ! had paid
him, together with about two thousand
dollars worth of improvements that ]
mad made. but bought the property at
the sale for three thousand five hundred
dollars, thus bringing me technically IN
debt to him TO the amount six thousand
iiyc hundred dollars.
When ne sent deputy sheriff 10 take |
possession Of my school, ! went to a
young lawyer, who had been my pupil, |
and rot him to put ne through bank
ruptcy. worried good deal, ~ men
will under such circumstances, until ono
morning as was Whiting for train.
and, ~ usual, full Of "carking care, y
felt something like cold hand grasp
Ing the back part Of my brain. said
to myself, "lhat means paralysis. If
am paralyzed my wife and children
will moi only lose their support, but
shall become burthcn TO them. The
best thing lor me 10 do is 10 stop this
worrying. work rs hari az | can, and
leave tho rest TO Providence did
40, and had worked on In this way,
having experienced what seemed sew
oral small special proyidcnces that
helped me along until near Christmas,
when. one morning, my school-room
door was opened by lame tramp. His
garments were soiled and dilapidated,
but his features were clean cut, with
rather high nose, and, when he asked
for assistan e, his English soon showed
that he was French. As he claimed 10
have been an officer IN the French
army, asked II he could teach
fencing. lie said that his lame
knee prevented him. He could, how
ever. teach tic military drill. and on
asking my boys how many would Ike
90 Join such class, found that |
could get him hall dozen pupils. AS
we were within two days of Christmas,
and was iayofably impressed. | gave
him money enough 10 carry him
through the Christmas holiday, no that
he could begin 10 drill his class on Jan
uary =.
When that day came he did not np-
pear. aud was obliged TO conclude
that | had been ''sold.h The next day,
however, came postal card from him
stat ny that he bad slipped on the Ice
two days before, so that he had again
broken his damaged knee-pan, aud had
been taken to tho Police Hospital in
Ninety ninth street Visiting him there
on Saturday. and finding that this hos
pital had very much the appearance OF
n barn, | thought he would be better
cared for at the Roosevelt Hospital. aud
ON speaking Of IL to very Intelligent
and active physician who lived near me.
he Immediately secured his admission
there. Sunday was bitter, cold day,
and heavy snow had fallen, but by
lifting him out carefully on his mattress,
well wrapped up. and making tho sleigh
20 slowly. we transferred him without
damage.
| Wishing 10 teach philanthropy prac
tieally, | called for volunteers In my
school 10 contribute n few cents eacl
week TO sup ly our patient with news
papers and such small comforts, ON
contributions being carried to tho hos
pital by the boys In turn. ] managee
TO see him once or twice week, aud
In the course Of conversation. foun'
from his special and, apparently, pro
found knowledge Of military affairs tha
he must have been an officer. as he ha'
said. His knee was injured just befor
tho great defeat nj Sedan. Being In
cavalry regiment, he was out In com
mand Of small scouting party. am
was riding In advance OF his men alonI
n road between high banks. when. at
short turn. he suddenly found himsel
In from. of German lancer who wa
also the leader Of some German scouts
Before Captain NJ. could draw bis n
yoIyer the quick German had snlashe
bis knec.pan with the butt end OF nl
lance, aud thus unhorsed him. Bot
parties falling back Immediately to r,
port that they had me. he was lei
living there until some of bis mon. r,
turning. picked him up and transporte
him to the nearest comfortable HOUSE
which happened To be on the other sid
OF tho Belgian border. Here he wa
kindly treated until cured.
Finding on bis recovery that he coul
no longer serve his country. and tbs
her affairs were in such desperate cot
/, dltlon that she could not bear any MOI
burdens. ho determined "a push on
i England. and, after struggling there 4
, while, he came 10 the United States.
. was afrnid. OF course. that rum
. was at 1in bottom OF nil his diilicnltie
!. but as long as he was willing TO kes
straight and try TO help himself II vi
nv duty 10 help him. and II was ther
fore necessary for mo 10 look ahead m
. find some employment for him. A. !
y expected TO leave The hospital about 4
. middle Of June. which was the time i
closing my school
| bad fought my way through u
4 winter pretty well. but when look'
!. forward 10 hAe summer. when the
4 would be no teaching and consequent
: no pay. must confess that Itsseem'
! b. be very curious that Providan'
i should give ma some one 10 take care
: inst n sifne when I rDn'a ne< :
4 clearly how 10 tske care Of myself
? went working %. however, - n1ul