Mower County transcript., 1890-01-22
FASHIONABLE CHARITY
How MRS. Truccle Was Duped by
Her Caretakers.

How Mrs. Truccle Was Duped by
Her Caretakers.
Mrs. Jane Maria Truccle was most
charitable lady. Out of the very con-
siderable wealth which the late lament
ed Sam Truccle had left her she con-
trived to spare good deal for what she
considered deserving objects. Unfort-
unately, however, the direction of her
charity was largely influenced by feel
ings other than those of pure benevo-
lence, and, consequently, what she con-
sidered deserving objects we're often
hardly those that excited the sympa-
thy of the unbiased philanthropist
The feelings which had most influence
In directing or misdirecting her charity
were those she was pleased to entertain
on politics. To be sure, she knew moth
ing in the world about politics. That,
however, did not prevent perhaps, in
deed, it rather assisted-her, being
tremendous Tory. She was Primrose
dame of high degree, a liberal subscrib-
or to every anti-Liberal undertaking, a
bitter despiser of all parties and persons
whom smart people considered ':low,"
and profound and ecstatic admirer of
that fashionable society about the pur-
lieus of which she was delighted to
move
Her political ideas acted on her char
liable feelings in this way. They made
her very careless about the sorrows and
miseries of the real poor, and very at
tentive to every cry of distress raised by
the unhappy wealthy classes. Reports
of destitution in the east of London, or
of famine among the cottiers of the west
of Ireland, moved her very little; but
when she heard Lord This or Lady That
dilating on the woes of the money-lend-
ers and. exploiters of Egypt, or of the
rack-renters and extortionists of Ire
land, she was quite overcome with SYM
pathy and sorrow for their troubles, and
ready to subscribe any amount to assist
them in their cause.
It was the morning following the final
meeting for the season of one of these
eommittees-one for the protection of
Irish 1and-owners-and Mrs. Truccle
was seated at her breakfast reading the
annual report. In it her name was sew
eral times newfoundland mentioned,
too, in connection with those of two
Duchesses, one Marchioness, three Count
esses and various other ladies Of lesser
title. AS the widow read she could not
help feeling, with benevolent glow on
her face, that, after ALL virtue is its own
reward.
She had just finished the report and
was sitting rejecting how she could
further show her devotion to so deserv-
ing cause, when her meditations were
interrupted by the advent of the butler.
He brought her a gentleman's card.
Astonished at such very early visit,
Mrs. Truccle hastily took the card, and,
putting on her spectacles, read the name
it.
''Mr. Eustace Burke" she said. ''Who
Is this person, Soker? I never heard of
him BEFORE"
''Don't know, ma'am," replied Soker.
''He says he wants to see you on very
important business"
'.Indeed," said Mrs. Truccle. ''That's
very strange. What does he look like?''
''Oh, very genteel, ma'am. Looks
like gentleman a little bit down in
the world"
The amiable Soker was a shrewd
Judge of character, and his mistress
put great reliance upon the estimate he
formed of strangers and acquaintances.
''Well, I'll see him. He's in the Ii
brary, suppose?"
eyes, ma'am."
When Mrs. Truccle entered the
library she found that Mr.. Eustace
answered very we'll to her buffers
description of him. He was tall, rather
handsome man, with, in spite OF a
threadbare coat and an appearance of
poverty, a certain air of distinction
about him. His manners, too, were re-
fined and high-bred. The bow he gave
Mrs. Truccle as she entered the room
was 50 dignifed, and at the same time
50 pathetic, that the good lady's heart
quite melted toward him. She saw at
once that he was just the sort Of person
she always pitied-the person, who, after
having lived for years on other peoples
labor, is now reduced to the sad neces-
sity OF trying to live by his own.
After formal greeting, the stranger
spoke. ..-.~..
+. IT trust, Mrs. Truccle," he said, "that
YOU will forgive the liberty that !,
complete stranger to you, have taken in
daring to call on you. assure you that
nothing but your reputation for kind
ness to the unfortunate is to blame. If
Won will be benevolent and generous to
those who have had disasters in the
worlds struggle, you must expect, Mrs.
Truccle, occasionally toShave g 3m1iser-
able being like myself appealing to you
for assistance. n /. *zESs