The Portland daily press., 1895-06-12
AN ANSWER TO An AID.

was nearly 20 ere my father could af
ford to let me follow my bent, and had
not been at the London hospital quite &
year when he died suddenly
At once found myself without money
to pay the second installment of my fee,
or to support me until such time as could
compete for clinical clerkship or dresser
ship-in short penniiess.
The only bright spot IN the dark days
which followed my poor fathers funeral
was the sympathy of Paul Blake, "med.
ioal" like myself, but as raokety as was
studious.
"n I had any money, Hillier,'' he said
one morning, '''or any property on which
I could raise loan, you should have it.
call it an awful shame that hard work
ing fellow like you should be 'grassed' fol
want of few hundreds. Oh, if only some
wealthy rhilanthropist knew you as well
as do, he'd surely help you over the stile
for the sake of suffering humanity
let him run on, scarcely hearing what
he uttered.
"There ought to be scores of such men
about" he said presently, "if fellow only
knew where to look for them. By Jove,
If could only come across one, believe I
could convince him that it's his absolute
duty to give you lift. Suppose we ad-
vertisep I'll do the interviewing. I've
the gift of the gab-you'll admit thatp"
yea" said, bitterly 1 fear, "but a
philanthropic pawnbroker willing to lend
on my books and instruments would be OF
more use at the present moment. owe
my landlady $50, and I shall want IS to
take me back to Worcestershire.
"Now, about this advertisement, he
went on. "I'm in earnest, and to prove it
mean to stand the ex'es." He reflected
moment, then took up pen and scrib-
bled a few lines on scrap of paper, blot
ted the effusion on my pad and read it
aloud with much apparent satisfaction:
A medical student, devoted to his profession,
but unexpectedly left without means, is de-
sirous of borrowing sum that will enable
him to obtain his diploma. He will pledge
himself to repay the money, with interest,
within five years of the date of the loan.
"There," he added, eff that doesn't put
you on your feet, I'm false prophet!"
"My dear Paul" rejoined, ''you mean
well, and thank you, but if you were to
throw your money into the gutter it would
do just as much good"
My dear boy, I have better opinion OF
my fellow men than you have, and lot
more faith In them. Just to convince you
that the world is not so hard and cruel as
yeu think shall insert this advertisement
and have the replies sent to my address.
Come along. The least you can do is to
walk with me as far as Fleet street."
was absent some hours. On my return
lo<Jr IL
door.
"There's been a young person to see
you, sir" she said.
Indeed, exclaimed in surprise, for
Mrs. Roberts herself was my only female
acquaintance in town. "Did she leave her
name?'
"No, sir; she waited in your room half
an hour. When she went, she said she
didn't know whether she would be able to
call again.
was too distressed to question the pa
tient woman as to the young person ap-
pearance, ana I had soon forgotten all
about the matter. saw no more of Paul
that day, but he called next evening. When
he laid three letters and postcard on the
table, could scarcely believe my eyes.
-Four answers, he said ceolly. "I've
brought the lot, though might as well
have left three of them at home"
The postcard bore just sevea words,
"Don't you wish you may get it?" One
envelope contained a money lenders circu-
lara request for an inquiry fee; another
a letter offering to lend $50, 1000 on the
splendid security named-unmistakab
chat, this; the third, which Paul handed
me last, contained the following epistle,
dated from west end library and written
in the attenuated, pointed characters in
sisted upon at old style seminaries for
young ladies:
Miss Marston would be glad If P. B. would
send more particulars. Should the medical
student be found deserving on inquiry, she
would havs no objection to finance him. But
the terms must be fxed by herself.
. He sat down at once and wrote-I have
no idea what for 1 refused to LOOKOUT
two days afterward be brought me fur
ther communication, dated from the same
library:
Miss Narston has received Mr.. Blake's let
ter, and she is quite satisfied that Mr.. Andrew
Hitler is deserving young man. In conse-
Quence, she has opened an account at the Lon
don and Westminster bank and placed to his
credit the sum of 81, 600, which she hopes will
be sufficient.
Miss Marston, not being usurer, declines
to make a profit of any ones necessities, but
Mr.. Hitler must undertake not to marry or
become engaged until the loan has been re-
paid.