The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-20
KEPT HIS WORD.
A Doctor Who Befriended a
Wayward Man.
An Unexpected Christmas Present Which
Arrived In Time.

The night before Christmas DIR. T., q
well known South Providence physician,
returned to his home much fatigued. He
had been visiting poor family,
suffering both from want and sickness.
dainty blessed with this worlds goods,
besides administering potions for the
bodily ills, had given them few dollars,
saved by rigid self-denial from his scanty
income. He walked homeward With
weary step, thinking how very small were
the means he possessed OF doing good and
relieving isery, for he was every inch
a Christian. lie lived alone with an aged
honsekeeper, . no had been nurse in his
fathers family and VINO was inclined to
be queruous. As he entered the house
he was greeted by an unwonted clamor
of voices, taking the form of by no
means harmonious duet-an unknown
male voice growing forth in hoarse
bass, which was completely overscreeched
by remarkably high and thin treble,
easily recognized as proceed ing from Old
Nancy, the housekeepsr.
"Here's a pretty how-de-do," cried
Nancy, when her master appeared, as
with eyes flashing, she pointed to an ex-
pressman who stood in the hall holding
a very small hox in his hands. "This
fellow wants to get dollar for the car
riage OF thst little box directed to you,
which can't be worth quarter of the
money, no matter what it contains"
81 guess it's ell riVht," said the
doctor. and taking the box frniaIhe HAN
he examined the directions. 1t was ex-
tremely heavy and bore the stamp of
"Cripple Cheek, - together with his own
direction. The doctor paid the dollar
and the man departed. He then opened
the box and displayed to the astonished
eyes OF the old housekeeper an ingot OF
virgin gold and slip II paper, ON which
were written the following words:
DEAR DR. L.
A slight token OF eternal gratitude in re-
membrance OF December ~. 1894. Merry
| Christmas. H.G
Late on the evening of Dec. "a, 1885,,
| the date referred TO in the note, the
| docter was returning from visiting poor
! and sick patient. When not far from his
| home, he met a young man with haggsrd
| countenance ana blood shot eyes hasten
| ing toward the river. lie recognized
| the young man as the son of a near friend
! i'm his native place and be had felt for
some time, as he had watched him, that
something was going wrong.
The whole-souled doctor stopped him
and spoke TO him kindly. At first the
young fellow would not answer, but tried
| 10 break away; but the doctor, fearing
he meditated suicide, would not he re-
| pulsed and at length, with much diff
Guilty, succeeded in leading him to his
house. After some time the poor young
man, softened by the Doctors kindness,
confessed that he had spent in gambling
and drinking money that had been en-
trusted TO him by his employers, and,
bet sobs, he cried: "My poor
mother III she ever knew!'
| The doctor waited until the full con-
| fession had been given, and then be re-
proved and counselled him a. would q
loving, tender father. lie then gave him
a check for sl5o, the amount unlawfully
dissipated.
| at is nearly all possess in the world, "
said the doctor, "but by the grace OF
God you will change your habits, work