Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-25
THE STORY OF A CARD.
1t Changed a Miserly Millionaire In
a Public BenefactOr. -

1t Changed a Misery Millionaire Into
Public BenefactOr.
'-This play of THE Fatal Card we've
been having here lately" said q Washing
ton merchant to q Star reporter, "remiads
me OF card story"
mot one of the kind of cards that Wash
ingtonians are most familiar with. is II? %
inquired the reporter, trying to be face
tious.
Hardly. But let me tell you the tale.
When was youngster of fifteen or less,
which Is now forty or fifty years ago,
hadn't as much money as I have now, nor
did my parents, but We thrived well, and
got the best education that was to be had
at the time, owing to the kindness of mil
lonaire relative of mine. an old chap who
died when I was about twenty. We never
knew the story until he died, and then it
| all came out in q letter he wrote and left
| with his will
ut seems that when the old man was
| about twenty he went west with a young
| man of his own age, who had been brought
UP with him by the same people, both be-
| ing orphans. They were as brothers, or
even closer. in their affections, and when
| they started out to seek their fortunes
they each wrote card and gave it to the
other. Just what the inscription was
|
that If one was in need the other would
| honor the card under any circumstances.
| and after any lapse Of time, if he were
financially able to do so.
| We'll, they worked together for awhile
| and then, by business changes, and one
| way or another, they separated. For a
long time they kept up a correspondence
but as the years went by that dropped, and
| they lost sight of each other. 1 fancy my
| relative did not seek to continue it. for in a
| few years he was very successful. while the
| other man was not, and you know how
| things go under those circumstances.
quarter Of century went by, and by thai
time my relative was millionaire many
| times over, and the nastiest. meahest
stingiest, crustiest old cuss in ten states
he couldn't help that, perhaps, and dom
| know that he tried.
| Anyhow, one day ragged and starving
| man came into his Office and asked to SEE
him alone. He told him to state his bust
ness where he was. The man told a lcnf
| story OF suffering and want of a sick and
starving wife and children and the usua
| concomitants of that kind of situation
and then handed my relative card. Il
was yellow and worn and dirty, but it wa.
| the same cid card that he had given hi.
| boyhood friend. The old man gave the ap
1 piicant dime and told him to get out ant
not come back there any, more. He obeyet
the cruel command and went out silently
That evening policeman came to the OLE
mans Office with note and card. Al
the note said was: Give this card to m,
u.
The note was unsigned The card whitl
the policeman handed over had a hol
through 1t as If cut by knife, and Their
was blood about the edges of the cut. TIL
officer explained that it had been found OF
the dead body of man in an attic room i,
the slums, with a knife driven through
and into the mans heart. That was all tn
policeman knew. 1 don't know what tn
old man said, or how he felt, but do know
that from that day forward he was
changed man.
He gave to every worthy person reedin,
help; he sought out all his poor kin an,
took care of them judiciousIy; educatin;
the girls. giving the boys start in bust
ness and helping their parents; he organ
lied charities, and he offered a reward of
thousand dollars for the family of his dea
friend. He never found it, however, and
fancy the friend never had a family
. guess he wasn't any good, anyway, blu
whether he was or not, the way he tool
himself off was a blessing to the old man
and most emphaticaliy to all of his kin