The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-23
THE STRANGE STORY OF A CARD.
How It's Presentation Changed a
Mans Method Of Life.
From the Washington STAR.


This play of The Fatal Card we've
been having here lately" said a Washing
ton merchant to a Star reporter, reminds
me of a card story"
mot one of the kind of cards that Wash
intonians are most familiar with, is it?"
inquired the reporter. trying to be face
tious
Hardly. But let me tell you the tale
When was youngster of 10 or less
which is now forty or fifty years ago,
hadn't as much money as have now, nor
did my parents, but we thriyed well, and
| got the best education that was to be
had at the time, owing to the kindness of
millionaire relative of mine, an old chap
who died when l was about 20. We never
knew the story until he died, and then 1t
all came out in letter he wrote and left
with his will.
at seems that when the old man was
about 20 he went west with a young man
of hin own age, who had been brought up
with him by the same people, both being
oIphans. They were as brothers, or even
closer, in their affections. and when they
started out to seek their fortunes they
each wrote a card and gave 1t to the other
Just what the inscription was don't know
but II was enough to signify that If one
was in need the other would honor the
card under any circums tances, 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 anoeher, they separated. For q
long time they kept up a correspondence
but as the years went by that dropped
for a few years he was very successful
While the other man was not and YOU
stances. A quarter of century went BY,
and by that time my relative was a mill
lonalre many times over, and the nastiest
meanest, stingiest, crusties old cuss in
ten states: He couldn't help that perhaps,
and don't know that he tried
ANYHOW, one day a ragged and starv-
ing man came into his office and asked
TO see him alone. He told him to state
his business where.he was. The man told
a. long story of suffering and want of a
SICK and starving wife and children and
the usual comcomitants of that kind Of
a SITUATION, and then handed my relative
card. 1t was yellow and worn and dirty
BUS 1t was the same old card that he had
given his boyhood friend. The old man
gave the applicant dime and told him
to get out and not come back there anV
more. He obeyed the cruel command ana
went out silently. That evening police-
man came to the old mans office with a
note and card. All the note said was,
''Gice TINS card to my, boyhood friend.
-. He viii understand.
The note was unsigned The card
which the policeman handed over had q
hole through il as II cut by a knife. and
there was blood about the edges Of the
cut. The officer explained that IL had been
found on the dead body of a man in an
attic room in. the slums, with knife
driven through it and into the mans
heart. That was all the policeman knew.
| don't know what the 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 need
ing help; he sought out ali his poor kin
and took care of them judiciously; edu-
eating the girls. giving the boys a start
in business, and helping their parents: he
organized charities, and he offered a re-
ward of $1,000 for the family of his dead
friend. He never found it, however. and
1 fancy the friend never had a family. 7
guess he wasn't any good. anyway, but
whether he was OF, not, the way he took
and most emphatlcally TO an of his III, :,