The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-06-05

flowers, music, rich viands and the like
when SO many we're lacking the neces
saries of life. And, most humiliatin,
thought of all, much of the very wealth
which she enjoyed had been earned
for her by those same starving poor
Theirs it was-not hers--if justice were
done. In her humiliation she knelt anf
offered what was, perhaps, the first rea
prayer that had risen from her lips
for long time; prayer in which she
craved pardon for the thoughtlessness
selfishness and frivolity of the past
and consecrated her wealth to the serv.
ice of Christ and of those concerning
whom He said: "Inasmuch as We have
done it unto one of the least of these
IL We have done it unto Me-"
A year has passed. James Thompson
with his wife and daughter, both of
whom have been restored to health, are
living in neat, pleasant house, the
gift of Mrs. Phelps, through whose in
strumentality Thompson has procured
lucrative employment. The year has
witnessed some other changes, too
especially in the real estate owned by
Mrs. Phelps. Very promptly she called
upon her agent and gave that individual
some instructions which fairly took his
breath away. She obtained from him
a list of all tenements owned by her,
and then set to work to Systematically
visit each house and the families occu-
plying it. Such poverty, squalor and
degradation as she encountered! AS
a result of this inspection, she ordered
a general reduction of the rents, a
thorough cleaning of all the houses
and numerous repairs, while some
crazy habitations she ordered to be de-
molished.
A company of philanthropic persons,
organized through her efforts, pur-
chased an entire block of rickety tene-
ments, tore them down and erected
series OF modern structures in which
suites of rooms were offered at rates far
lower than those prevailing in the sur
soon filled with population who had
clean quarters to start with and every
inducelnent to keep them so. And con-
trary to all expectations the enterprise
has yielded a fair rate of interest on the
money invested in it.
Phelps & Co. no longer pay starvation |
wages to their employees. Mrs. Phelps
husband had bequeathed her controll-
ing interest in the firm, and one day she
startled the other partners by propos-
ng heavy increase in the rates paid |
ror making up clothing. They de-
and said that such an increase
would bankrupt the firm. But Mrs.
phelps persisted in her demand, and
inally induced the senior partner to
accompany her to the abodes of some of
he people employed by the firm. They
lad not visited many places when he
aid he had seen quite enough.
'Ilow do you suppose the patronage
t Phelps & Co. would be affected"
sked Mrs. Phelps, ''if our customers
,ere aware that their new garments
ad been lying few hours before on !
he dirty floor of tenement or on the
ed of child sick with contagious
isease?" /.
Being unable to answer this question '
satisfactorily, both partners quietly t
admitted to the inevitable. The wages ]
ere raised, and, far from becoming
ankrupt, the firm of Phelps & Co. is
orc prosperous than ever. And Mrs. {
helps to-day is very cheerful, happy l
oman-far happier than when she Il
as devotee at the altar of fashion. O
Or she knows that she has the smile c
Him to whom she has consecrated v
IT only her wealth and her time, but a
,rself.-N. Y. Observer. L