Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-05-23
A Green Spot.

n OIcoh ppot'
The late Noah Winslow was fond
of telling the following incident of
his mercantile life; and he never
closed the narration but with swim
ming eyes:
During the financial crisis and
crash of ST, when heavy men were
sinking all around us, and banks
were tottering, our house became
alarmed in view of the condition of
its own affairs. The partners
three of US, of whom l was senior
met in our private Office for con-
sultation. Our junior had made a
careful inventory of everything
of bills receivable and bills payable
and his report was, that twenty
thousand dollars Of ready money,
to be had through the pressure,
would save US. Without that we
must go by the board-the result
was inevitable. l went out upon
the street, and among my friends,
but in vain. The amount of money
we needed was not to be had. Men
who held gold would not let it go,
save upon solid security-and the
only security we could give was our
word and our honor, for the many
thousands due us, was as nothing
in that hour.
1.-Two whole days | strove and
begged, and then returned to my
counting house in despair l sat at
my desk, expecting every moment
to hear the voice of our junior
sounding the terrible words, Our
paper is protestedl'-when gentle
man entered my apartment unan-
nounced. He was of middle age,
with frank, genial face; and
though fancied there was some
thing familiar in his earnest, kindly
look, yet could not locate him,
nor call him to mind in any way.
"'Mr. Winslow,' he said, taking
a seat at the end of my desk, 4
hear that you are in need of money
"The very face of the man inspir-
ed confidence and l told him just
how / was situated.
Make me your individual note,
on one year, without interest, for
twenty thousand dollars, and l will
give you check, payable in gold
for that amount
"While | sat gazing upon him
in speechless astonishment, he con-
tinued:
"'You don't remember me, but l
remember you. | remember when
you were a member of the Super
intending School Committee of
Bradford. / was boy in the vii
lage school. My father was dead f;
my mother was poor; and / was
but shabbily clad, though clean.
When our class came out to recite,
on examination day, you asked the
questions. ! fancied you would
pet and praise the children Of rich
and fortunate parents, and pass me
by. ! blundered and stammered,
and quivered with shame. But it
was not as l had thought. In the
end you passed all Others and came
to me. You laid your hand upon
my head, and told ME l had done
very well; and then you told me /
could do better still if l would try.
You told me the way to honor and
renown was open to all alike-no
one had a free pass. All / had to
do was, to be resolved, and push on.
That, sir, was the turning point in
my life. From that hour my soul
has inspired; and l have never
reached great good without bless
ing you in my heart. I have pros
pered, and / am wealthy; and l
now offer you but poor return for
the soul wealth you gave me in
that by-gone time
II took the check" said Winslow,
land drew the gold; and our house
was saved. And where, at the end
of the year" he added, "do you sup
pose / found my notep"
We could not guess.
I'm the possession" he told us,
with streaming eyes, "of my little
orphaned granddaughter! Oh,
hearts like that mans hearts are