The Charlotte Democrat., 1888-10-26
Living on Her Interest.

Soon after Alice and were engaged to
be married her parents, unexpectedly,
had an offer to 60 West. West in my
early days was coneidered far, far away
from the northern part OF the State of
New York, where was then living; al
though the West where Alice's parents
were going was the western part of the
State of Michigan only.
We did not intend to get married until
bad earned sufficient money to go to
housekeeping with. (As had been an
apprentice for number of years, / had
very little money! Alice's parents NOV
ing away changed our programme, and
We were married at once.
The money had saved failed after we
had bought small table, stove, wash
tub, q few pieces of crockery and some
bedding. Our bed, which lay upon the
floor in the corner of the room, consisted
OF tick filled with straw, three blankets
| and the two pillows which Alice's mother
had given her on our wedding day. /
made three-legged stool for Alice, while
my seat was the wash tub turned mp side
| down. / purposed to make stools when I
| could spare the time from my work.
A few weeks after our marriage my
health gave way. had never known be-
fore what it was to be out of health.
Alice, however. had always been delicate.
For nearly two years 1 had only the neces.
saries of life. During that time q Quaker
lady, living some miles distant, called to
| see us. She said in sweet, gentle tone:
"You have little of worldly goods,
friends." Then, looking pleasantly at
Alice, continued: 5aeT az q
"Child, thou hast been taught well,
| thou art neat" sa9izsa
We then related the circumstance of our
marriage to her. She listened attentively
then made the following remark:
| "I would not censure thee. know not
what would have done had been placed
/ as thou"
The next morning the Quakeress sent
US half a dozen chairs, q bedstead, bureau
carpet, curtains and barrel of -four. No,
only sent them, but came herself, and with
her own beautiful hands helped Alice
hang the curtains, tack the carpet dowr
ard arrange the furniture. As she wal
then about to move to distant city, sh.
gave Alice her address, saying:
"Child, if thou or thy husband should's
ever need, will befriend thee"
Never, as long as life shall last, will
forget the change in the appearance thos,
articles OF furniture made in our room
The room looked to me that night, whel
returned from my work, as royal pal
ace can never, under any consideration
to king or queen, however elegant tn
palace may be in its furnishings or pro
portions. After / regained my health th'
tables turned, prosperity followed on
path.
| We had been married nearly twenty
Eve years, when, as by accident, we hesrt
lady, was living in an almshouse. He
tables had turned also. Alice and
seemed to renew our youth while we wer,
furnishing, not only comfortably but taste
fully, the small cottage near our home 70
our aged Quakeress. And when the quef
tion is asked, az it is from time to time
how the Quakeress is supported, living .
her ease in her cottage, we simply max
this answer:
"She lives on her interest"
| Truly, she is living on the interest au'
the compound interest of q charitabl
deed done by her in years long gone. Th
interest on what she gave will continue t
support her as long as she needs supper
on this side of eternity. 0, the power Q
friendly act! The sympathy in word o
deed, extended to another, oft takes tb
bitter from sorrow and makes gladnes
dwell in otherwise desolate homes. True
we may not always see immediate result
from acts of Christian love and charity
but God blesses the operation of his mora
law, "Love thy neighbor." And do "
not read: "Cast thy bread upon the WI
ters; for thou shalt find it after man
days?" Truly, the Quaker lady loved he
neighbor; she cast her bread upon th
waters, and she found it after many day