The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-09-27
LEND A HeLptMa NANp.

Abundant Oppsrtsnitles ssr Doing Deeds
That Enaebis the Dosr.
Men and women arc coming more and
morsto recognize that they are not living
solely for themselves. Selfishness Is bad:
sympathy and desire to help others are
good. Never before was there 20 much
charity shown to the sick. the needy, the
friendless. And yet. charity does not
end with the bestowal of food, clothing
and shelter; 1t has only done q part of
its work. The world Is full Of neglected
children. of discouraged men, OF women
who are heavy laden with care and sor.
row, and others whose naturally bright
minds are starved and dwarfed. Ma
terial charity might help some of them,
but their greatest needs lie often in the
direction Of sympathy, care, intellectual
stimulus and aids to higher life.
An invalid may need cheerful CORE
spondent; there Is some one In the world
who could do her good. There may be
a neglected girl or boy in the neighbor.
hood who is sadly in need OF correct
moral training; some good woman ought
to get that child under her influence.
There may be man whom sickness and
reverses have broken down; some one
should seek him out and put him on his
feet again, not by gratuitous gift, but
by helping him to employment or restor-
ing his confidence in himself.
There may be a woman-ah, there are
legions Of women, who bravely struggle
on under poverty, sickness and sorrow,
who need sympathy and encouragement
and way to earn something with which
toimprove the condition of their families.
Who will help them? They are all around
you-you will not need to look far Will
you let them do your plain sewing, or
bake your bread or do your weekly clean
ing-something for which you can pay
them? Or, If their minds are starving.
will you give them some Of your books
and papers, with the injunction to pass
them on when they have done with them?
We know personally of a poor family
who owned not more than two or three
books. An agent came around and Of
fered the mother, at a low price, o small
work on civil government which she
earnestly desired to possess for the sake
Of instructing her growing boys. She
had no money, but, much against the
wishes of the father, who did not think
such things were necessary, she bartered
some domestic product for the coveted
volume. AS she sat down and turned its
pages lovingly, and found there just the
information of which she felt herself so
urgently in need, in order to be an intel
ligent instructor for her children, her
emotions overcame her and she wept
long, influenced by the privation she had
undergone and the present Joy of possess
ing the coveted treasure.
And that one book proved very great
help in the rearing Of her sons and
daughters to an intelligent manhood and
womanhood. This instance is only sim
gle one in a thousand. There are others
who experience thirst for wider knowl-
edge, soul hunger that is pitiful, and
which many, even though poor in this
worlds goods, could easily relieve, if
they would. This is a phase of charity
in which people who have not money to
give can help. There are many highly
educated ladies who could not bestow
aims, but who might gather together
class Of women hungry for intellectual
things, and feed them from their rich
store acquired by education and travel,
or who could visit them and talk with
them singly while at their work.-At-
lanta Constitution.