Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-02-13
The Beegar's Fountain.

WHICH u tue statue OF otsSur uIluh-
ing at a spring. Ii is called The
Beggar's Fountain and this Is its
story: Once upon a time there lived
a very proud and naughty man, who
hated the poor and set himself above
all the world who were not as wealthy
and welldresssd as himself, and his
want Of charity was SO great that il
had become proverbial. and beggar
would no more have thought OF ask
ing bread at his gate than OF asking
him for all his fortune.
There was a spring on his land, a
sweet spring OF cold water, and IL
was the only one for miles; many
wayfarer paused 10 drink at il, but
was never permitted 10 do so. A ser
want was kept upon the watch 10
drive such persons away. Now there
had never been known before any
one SO avaricious as 10 refuse n cup
OF cold water to his fellowmen. and
the angels. talking amongst them
selves, could not believe IL, and one
OF them said TO the rest:
1T is impossible for any but Satan
himself! will go TO earth, and prove
that il is not true
Aud So this fair and holy angel dis
guised herself a. II beggar woman,
covered her golden hair with black
hood, and chose the moment when
the master Of the house was himself
standing near the spring 10 come
slowly up the road, and 10 pause be
side the fountain and humbly ask for
a draught OF its sweet water.
Instantly the servant who guarded
the spot refused; but the angel, desir-
ing to take news OF q good deed, not
OF an evil one, back 10 heaven, went
TO the master himself, and said, II
am, as you see, a wanderer from afar
See how poor are my garments, how
stained with travel Ii is not surely
at your bidding that your servant
forbids me 10 drink. aud even II IL is,
pray you bid himlet me drink, for
am very thirsty"
The rich man looked at her with
scornful eyes and said:
This is not public fountain; you
will find one in the next village
The way 10 long, pleaded the nn.
gel, and AIN Il woman aud weak
Drive her away said yhe rich
man, and as he spoke, the beggar
turned; but on the instant her black
hood dropped from her head and re-
vealed floods OF rippling golden hair
her unsesmly rags fell to the ground
and the shimmering robes that an
gels wear .hone la their place. For IA
moment she hovsred, poised on pur-
pie wings, with her hands folded on
her bosom aud nm inefIable sweet
ness Of sorrow In her eyes. Then
with a gush OF music and flood OF
perfume, she vanished.
The servant fell to the earth like
one dead. The rich man trembled
and cried out, for he knew that he
had forbidden cup Of cold water to
all angel, and horror possessed his
soul.
Almost instantly n terrible thirst
fell upon him which.nothing could as
suage. Ia vain he drank wines,
sherbets, draughts OF all pleasing
kinds. Nothing could slake his
thirst. The sweet water OF the spring
was salter TO him than the sea. lie
rho never In his life had known an
ungrati6ed desire now experienced the
torture Of all ever unsatished longing:
but through this misery he began TO
understand what he had done. lie
repented his cruelty to the poor.
AIms were given daily st his gate.
Charity was the business of his life.
The fountain was no longer guarded,
and near it hung n cup ready for any
who chose to use II. But the surse-
II curse IL were-was not Fitted.
The rich man-young when the AN
gel visited him-grew middle-aged,
elderly, old, still tortured by this
awful thirst, despite his prayers and
repentance. lie had broken bread
for the most miserable beggars who
came to his door.
And, at eighty years Of age. bowed
with years OF lnirmity, and weary Cf
life. he sat beside the fountain weep
ing. And lo along the road he saw
approaching bsgEar woman, hood
ed in black, and walking over the
stones with bare feet. Slowly she
came aud paused beside the fountain.
May drinkr' she asked.
There 10 none to forbid thee, y
said the old man trembling. Drink,
poor woman. Once an angel wAs Tor
! hidden here, but that tiuIe has
passed. Drink, and pray for one
ntnirst Here IL the cup
The woman bent over the fountain
and nlled the cup but instead Of put
ting 1t to her lips she presented II to
those Of the old man. Drink, then. "
,he cried, and thirst no more
The old man took the cup aud
emptied it. y blessed draugbt with
il the torture Of years departed, and
as lac drank It he praised Heaven.
And lifting his eye. once more he saw
the beggars hood drop 80 the ground
and her rags fall In pieces For a mo-
ment she stood revealed In ali her
beauty OF snowy skin and golden hair
and silyery rsiment and she
stretched her hand toward him, as ~
In blessing, and then, rising, vanished
| fn the skiss A straiu Of music lin