The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-05-21

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finished coats at from i've TO ten eenta
sach, and make knee pants st 10 to 10
eents . dozen pairs"
Eighteen cents dozen paifsi You
don't mean that7"
Eyes, madam, I do. When Phelps d
Co. pay ten cents for making a pair Of
trousers which sells for Ave dollars, n
IL any wonder that the Arm prospers
exceedingly, and that your husband Yves
able to give away his thousands ?"
'"This is revelation to me" said Mrs.
Phelps. Il cannot see how you man
aged to exist at all"
"It's been q hard, hard struggle" re-
piled Thompson. "With the aid Of our
little girl-for she has been sewing ever
since she was four years old-we were
occasionally able to earn q dollar In
day; but that was seldom. We had TO
pay dollar and quarter per week for
this room, and hardly ever had more
than four dollars week to feed, clothe
and warm the three of us. But for the
last six months the child has been Ill.
Ten days ago my wife took sick, and be-
cause of having to wait on her and the
child was able to do SO little sewing
that the foreman got angry the other
day and refused to give me any more
work. Besides, we have been falling
behind with the rent, and only yester-
day received notice that If I don't pay
up by the end of the week and my sick
family must leave"
Outrageous! Who is your land
lord II"
Thompson took q paper from his
pocket, and, remarking that It was his
last receipt, handed it to Mrs. Phelps,
who, after a single glance, started, and
then stood staring at it in open-mouthed
astonishment. For her own name was
affixed to the receipt!
"What!" she calculated, as soon as
she could find her voice. "This house
mine?"
$50 it seems"
''This is my agents work." said Mrs.
Phelps, half to herself. "And he would
have turned you into the street, Hor-
rible!"
|. She opened her pocket and took out
some bills.
"Mr. Thompson" she said, II thank
you for insisting that should come
here. You have opened my eyes to some
things was blind to before. Take this
1T is only very small part Of the
heavy debt owc you. Buy fuel, food,
clothing, furniture, medicines-what-
ever you and your sick family most re-
quire. Spend 1t freely, but pay no rent,
this room shall never cost you another
oAnt."
"God bless you, madamei" Thompson
exclaimed, his eyes filing with tears.
''T take your gifts now with glad and
thankful heart. felt sure that all you
needed was to zee and understand. But,
oh, remember that there are others In
this house almost a. badly OF a. you
found me-"
Upon reaching home Mrs. Phelps
went to her room and shut herself in.
Her visit to James Thompson had in
she discharged the responsibility which
the possession Of great wealth carries
with it? BY lavishing money on
flowers, music, rich viands and the like,
when 30 many were lacking the neces-
snries of life. And, most humiliating
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 and
offered what was, perhaps, the first real
prayer that had risen from her lips
for a long time; a prayer in which she
craved pardon for the thoughtlessness,
selishness 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
ye 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 a 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
list of all tenements owned by her
and then set to work to systematically
visit each house and the families occu
pying it. Such poverty, squalor and
degradation as she encountered! Al
q result of this inspection, she ordered
general reduction of the rents, g
thorough cleaning of all the houses
and numerous repairs, while some
crazy habitations she ordered to be de
molished.
Phelps & Co. no longer pay starvation
wages to their employees. Mrs. Phelps
husband had beuueathed her q controll