Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-06-08
MCDONOGH's GENEROUS ACT
How The Future PhilanthrOpist
Saved A Youths Reputation.


How The Future PhilanthrOpist
Saved A Youths Reputation.
Col. Cornelius Combs, who was
born in this conunty (St. Mary's)
March 2, 1888, was a Iineal descen-
dant through his mother, Mary Fen
wick, Of the celebrated Cuthbert
Fenwick, one of the very early i'm
migrants TO the Colony Of Maryland.
who was famous as o lawyer, butfar
more so as a man Of the strictest
honesty, which was demonstrated
when, during the time of Cromwell's
penal laws, the Jesuits decided to
him absolutely 5000 acres of land,
including st. Inigo's Manor, which
they were unable to hold in their
own proper names. This valuable
property, which be could have will
led to his own children, was duly
bequeathed to another man as hon.
est as himself, and thus the estate
was handled until she obnoxious
laws were swept away by the tor
rent OF events which led up to the
independence Of the Original Colo
mics. Nor was young Combs un-
worthy, throughout a long life, of
the enviable fame of his maternal
ancestor, for all that did become a
man and Christian gentleman. When
q boy in his teens, about 1897, he
was sent to Baltimore to learn bust
ness under the tuition of a Mr..
Floyd think, thetather of the late
Capt. William Floyd, who resided
on the Patuxent, in this county.
After some months of training In
the counting room he was sent one
morning with q receipted bill for
collection to the firm of w. d Co
English merchants, with strict in
junction not to leave the bill unless
1t was paid. The boy hurried off
and presented the bill to the head
OF the firm, who looked it over and
told him he had TO go out on some
business for an hour or two, but
would settle il on his return. Young
Combs remained about the estrblish.
ment until the gentleman reappear-
ed, and was much astonished when
he was accosted in a hareh and an
CRY voice with the remark, "What
are you doing here and why have
you not taken the money to Mr..
FloydY The somewhat startled
and frightened boy remarked, BE
cause l never was given any money
to carry back and was told by YOU
that you would give it to me when
you came back to your Office" He
was ordered out Of the counting
room OF w. d Co. and hurried back
in fear and trembling to report his
experience to his employer. Mr..
Floyd Immediately put on his hat
and babe his clerk to follow him and
they would 60 together to see w. &
Co. In a few minutes they reached
the desk of the leading man OF the
nrm OF w. q Co, when Mr.. Floyd
said: Mr.. W., this young man
tells me that you did not give any
money in settlement of the account
ne brought you, and l come for an
explanation"
In excited tone and manner he was
informed that the money had been
paid and that his boy had either kent
or lost it, and had come TO- him TO
pay the account over again, and he
bad Indignantly ordered him out of
the Office. Mr.. Floyd then turned
toward the poor boy and remarked.
more with a tone and look of compass
sion than anger, well, young man.
l see no chance of making a proper
kind OF business man of you and
will send you back on the fi.st ves-
sci that leaves the city for st. Mary's
county" At this reproach the
wounded youth commenced to cry
bitterly. for he was conscious of no
wrongdoing, and they turned to leave
the Office.
Before they reached the door of
exit one OF the clerks arose from his
seat and remarked: mr.. FLOYD. /
can't content myself to sit here and
suffer that boys character to be
blasted for life, and will saw that /
know Mr.. w. has made a mistake
when he asserted that he had paid
him any money to be taken TO YOU"
Mr.. Floyd paused and asked if he
was certain of the fact as stated.
The answer to the query was en-
phatic: Yes, sir for have been
continuously ct my desk since your
clerk came, and know whereof I
speak" Mr.. Floyd simply remark
ed: Il thank you, sir, for coming
TO the rescue of this young man
reputation and will attend TO the
collection OF the bill. I" Not many
months after this occurrence the
house Of w. & Co., went into bank
rup.cy and the good Colonel Combs
used to speak of their disaster as q |
most pleasnrable bit Of news to him.
while he could but admit that the
feeling he experienced was not