The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-19
A HOLY WOMAN'S GIFTS.
TIE REMARK ABLE GOOD WORKS
OF A POOA INVALID.

Foor Peopl7-Ihe mysterious Dream
of Her Husband.
tCopwight)
NEW YORK, April 1S.-It was a small
brick house on Second avenue, near
Twenty eighth street. l knocked timidIy
at the door, for with becoming modesty
should one enter the presence of royalty.
Come in," said sweet voice. l pushed
the lattice door gently back, and walked in.
The ceiling is low, the two windows are
hung with clear white cottage drapery,"
and tied back with bright plaid silk ribbon.
There are flowers growing in pots in one
window, and vases filed with flowers in the
other. The walls are well hung with pct
ures. At the head of the bed are the
founders of Methodism, at the foot a colored
copy of the "Augelus," and around, here
and there, some well>known faces of mill
ionaires, and their wives and daughters.
A shelf that turns on a pivot, such as a
dentist has attached to his chair of torture,
is hinged to the window near the head of
the bed. On this shelf there are pen. ink.
paper and money. A small hank of de-
poSU, IN fact, which has for customers
some Of the mightiest of the mighty names
Of finance. The money is not locked up
There is no great iron safe with a compli-
Gated combination lock, but there it rests
safe from harm, aud the lady before US is
the president, receiving and paying teller
all in one. observe that the cross pieces
Of the head and foot of the bed are wound
OF the four corners with stout webbing
about three inches wide, and from hooks
aud iron rings in the ceiling depend two
s:aut ropes, and l know that this means
that the occupant of that bed must be lifted
on a canvas while her bedding is changed
beneath her; and when this is done she
invariably passes a night Of agony and
day in which she is unable to taste food of
even the most delicate kind. On this neat
little bed, supper ed by soft pillows, which
we're inCased most dantily in tucked and
embroidered slips; dressed in a snow-white
gown, with q fine, plated bosom and ruffiad
front, the lace and ruitied cuff falling over a
beautiful nd; a dotted null cap with
soft lace ruiiie around the face lay Mrs. Bella
Cooke. For thirty-fve years a bed-ridden
Invalid, during which time she has bestowed
about $4,000 in charity, and received in
the neighborhood Of 105 900 visitors.
Last Christmas she presented to poor
families 2lO baskets which contained either
turkey or q pair of chickens, lat the
choice of the Tecipieno. potatoes, tomatoes,
rice, ten, sugar, end lastly a card upon
which was written by Mrs. Cooke herself,
verse from scripture supposed to Specially
apply to the spiritual need Of the recipient
j list of cor larger than many prosper
GUS church has tals woman. Tea parties to
women between 60 and 95 years of
age are given IN this little room, about one
OF which | must tell you. The daughter
of certain wealthy lady of New York
was to be married on the twenty
third anniversary of her mothers wedding
This mother was a warm friend aud great
admirer of Mrs. Bella Cooke and so Mrs
Cooke, in order to C ntribute her share to
the honor Of he daughters wedding, gave
a sui per to twenty.three old women. Just
as the bells wer9 ringing, and the newly
married passed cut of the church, these
twenty-three old women, not one Of whom
had ever seen the bride, or perhaps ever
heard of her before, sat down to Il supper of
the very best that the market Of the city Of
New York could furnish. They ate and
drank and chatted; and wished the two
hearts made one all the happiness which
health and wealth can beStow.
Numbers of poor children sent into the
country during the heat OF July and
August for one or two weeks; daily trips
for mothers and their sick babies; $50 chill
dren made glad at Christmas with a little
toy or two aud some candy; $50 garments
given away at Christmas to the deserving
poor, young and old; these are some of tho
Items in the work Of this poor invalid last
year. Yet she is poor woman, rich only
in the love of God. But so holy is the lie
she leads that good men and women gather
around her, like devotees at the shrine Of a
saint. Here in this room many Of New
ork's Four Hundred CALL and il they
meet hungry, care-wOrn looking sister,
fashions child forgets Der money and her
social standing, and , by the spirit that per-
vades the place, feels the sweet kinship Of
humanity.
By Mrs, Cooke are distributed the secret
charities Of such as Mrs f. w. Vanderbilt
Mrs Field, Mrs w. E. Dodge, Mrs. A.
y. Phelps, Mrs. Stokes, Mrs. Jaffray, Mrs
Murray, Mrs. Delamater, Mrs. Ellis and
Mr.. John Stephenson. the millionaire car
builder. But do you not find it very
difficult to Disseminated Are you not often
Imposed upon, since your applicants come
from all over the city, and even from other
states: Is it not dangerous to be too
charltab.eF l asked. There is much
greater danger of not being charitable
enough" said Mrs. Cooke with a smile
Then she continued: 1--WE are as
careful as possible, and do not make many
mistakes. l remember one somewhat
unique and original deception that was
pracuced upon me a number of years ago,
when was able to walk from house to
mouse and help little by word and deed
1t was in 1894. / had heard Of a case Of
great distress in Thirty-hrst street. Wis
tied the house and found the sick man lying
upon some straw or the floor, with several
dirty. ragged children and a slovenlv
mother. Moved to pity by their distress, 1
went to Mrs. A. G.. Phelps and Mrs. james
Stokes and secured hannels, clothing
and new bedroom Others
obtained food and money. Miss
Mary Stevenson visited the family with me,
and we made them comfortable. A few
days later the wife came to me to say that
her husband Yves dead, and that she had not
the money necessary for his burial. / told
her TO do what she could and l would DO the
rest. She got So, but needed 800 at the
time | was very feeble, but felt that / must
bury the poor man, so / went forth and got
SO. took it to the woman. / found the
corpse stretched out with cloth over its
lace, and the woman weeping and
lamenting. / tried to comfort her
and left. Having reached the street
l turned back to talk Of some
plans for the children, but on opening the
door, what was my surprise to find the man
sitting up aud his wife standing beside him
as they counted the money. | was startled,
and said, You have deceived me- The
woman, not at all abashed, replied: Sure
tuln It's dyin' be Is, and its the praist him
self that's just afther given him holy
JUNCTION, and it's dead he'll be SOON left,
well knowing be could not live long. he
lived about two weeks, and then died, and /