Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-04-24
HEROISM IN A BIG CITY,
BRAVE AND KIND HEARTS IN
RICH FIFTH AVENUE HOME.

An Old Legend of Rome Is Enacted In
Reality Right in the Midst of a Busy
and Thriving Metropolis - People Of
Wealth Nurse Their Servants.
Emerson in his essay upon "The Con-
sentative" relates legend of the Friar
Bernard in illustration of the truth that
the best virtues are to be found in all
conditions of society If the story were
merely an apologize with the essayist ii
has, l am glad to record, lately become
a fact.
This is the tradition:
1.-THE Father Bernard lamented in his
cell on Mount Gents the crimes of man.
kind, and rising one morning before day
from his bed of moss and dry leaves he
gnawed his roots and berries, drank of
the spring and set forth TO go to Rome
to reform the corruption of mankind.
On his way he encountered many trav
elers, who greeted him courteously, and
the cabins of the peasants and the castles
of the lords supplied his few wants.
When he came at last to Rome his piety
and good will easily introduced him to
many families of the rich, and on the
first day he saw and talked with gentle
mothers, with their babes at theif
breasts, who told him how much love
they bore their children, and how they
were perplexed in their daily walk lest
they should fail in their duty toward
them.
EMERsoN'S STORY.
"'Whatr he said, and this on rich
embroidered carpets, on marble floors,
with cunning sculpture, and carved
woods, and rich pictures and piles OF
books around you?
"'Look at our pictures and books,
they said, and we will tell you, good
father, how we spent the last evening,
These are stories of godly children and
holy families, and romantic sacrifices
made in old and recent times by great
and not mean persons, and last evening
our family was collected, and our hus.
bands and brothers discoursed sadly on
what we could save and give in the hard
times
"Then came in the men, and they
said: What cheer, brother? Does thy
convent want gifts?
Then the friar went home swiftly
with other thoughts than he brought,
saying: This way of life is wrong, yet
these Romans, whom l prayed God to
destroy, are lovers; they are lovers.
What can dor"
And this is the fact as a friend re-
lates it,
II called last night upon my friend in
Fifth avenue. His house is stately and
magnificent. 1t abounds with every de.
vice of luxury. If not tasteful it is rich.
Ii not elegant it is profuse in splendor.
While l sat gazing around me at the
mirrors and carpets and curtains and
costly furniture my friend entered and
| cordially welcomed me.
"'Where have you been so long? sale
| L 1t must be many weeks. since have
seen you
| "'You know he answered, that we
were absent upon visit to Cousin
Charles for some time, and upon our re.
turn the doctor told us that two of the
servants lay i'll with the ship fever, and
that the children must be sent away i'm
mediately. So we sent them to their
| grandfather's, near Albany, and my wife
and remained to take care of the serv.
| ants.
EXPOSED TO DISEASE.
"'Did you know what terrible dis.
ease it wasT
"'Yes, the doctor warned us. But we
| could not leave them when we knew
how critical was the situation. 1t was
hard to part with the children, and they
cried bitterly at going, knowing to what
dangers we were exposed
| "And know, answered /, for have
had the ship fever, and for two weeks
lay utterly senseless, like one dead
| "'Both of the servants, continued my
friend, were delirious for two weeks be
fore they died, which increased our care
1t is very dreadful disease, and very
hardly it bore on my wife. But there
was no one to assist us. All the other
servants left, and we could get no nurses.
We took all possible precautions. The
beds were placed in the middle of the
two largest rooms, and by opening the
folding doors we could throw them, with
the smaller one between, into one large
room. There is passage from the cell.
ing of the middle room directly to the
skyGght in the roof, and by opening that
and dropping the upper sashes of the
windows of the room we could ventilate
the rooms perfectly
"I see,' said |, and they diedT
"'They both died, and we buried them
in the Catholic cemetery
"'Why,' thought I, glancing at the
painted walls and glittering chandeliers
the sumptuous Vendome and the squalid
Tenderloin precinct do not offer a more
instructive contrast than this single
hearted heroism in the midst of this re-
gal splendorr"
Here is another "deed for New York
to be proud Of" Gilt sometimes covers
pure gold. New York Hsrald.