The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-04-15
VALUE OF A SMILE.

A few years ago there resided in
Vienna an OLD man who, after a long
and active life as merchant and banker,
had retired in possession of great
wealth. Aside from his property,
however, advancing years had de-
prived him of almost every enjoyment.
The friends of his youth and early
manhood had long since departed /;
his relatives were all dead; new
generation had come upon the scene
who knew him not. Childless, friend
less and in failing health he lived
alone in large mansion on one of
the principal residence streets of the
great city. For years it had been his
custom to walk from this residence to
a dingy Office up town, where he sat
from habit during the working hours.
But no one came to greet him and
there was nothing for him to do, his
business affairs having long since
been turned over TO an agency. He
was in the world but not of it, tagging
superhuous on the stage after his fell
low-players had long since departed.
The walk from his home to his Office,
repeated day by day at the same hour,
attracted no attention, but its monot-
ony was broken by an event which to
the unthoughtful would seem to be
hardly worthy of mention. AS he
passed certain house on the opposite
side of the street, there almost in
variably appeared young woman en-
gagged in sweeping, brushing or ar
ranging matters on the veranda. As
the old man passed, she never failed
to greet him with friendly smile.
No word was ever passed. They knew
not each others names. They were
strangers in mighty city, their lives
in no sense crossed each other, their
paths were very far apart.
At last the old man died. His will
was opened and it was found that he
had bequeathed all his fortune,
amounting to many millions of dollars,
to the unknown girl who on each
recurring morning had never failed in
her simple but kindly greeting.
"That smile,'' wrote the old man,
pathetically, in his last testament,
''that kindly smile from the doorstep
was the only ray of sunshine that
came into my life during the many
weary years of enforced retirment and
the anguish and solitude that comes
of utter neglect" The obscure lega-
tee got a great fortune, it is true, en-
tirely unexpected and unlocked for,
but who can say that it was not fitly
exchanged for the priceless jewel of a
good woman's smile? Money may
fail to bring happiness, riches take
wings and fly away, the cloud-capped
towers crumble, the solemn temples
totter, the gorgeous palaces fade from
sight, but woman's smile, indicative
Of deathless love, endures to the
end of time. Not settlers lonely
cabin on the borders of civilization, not
a farmers ranch on the most desolate
of ranges that may not be converted
into fairy palace by the illuminat-
ing smile of woman. 1t is solace in
misery, comfort in lonely hours, the
only recompense of age, cheer for the
despairing, sunlight for all who are
weary and heavy laden. Such smile
has often been the chief agency in
keeping the plow in the furrow, the
farm machinery awhirl, the best anti
dote for that despair which longs for
the dark night and the long sleep.
The aged Vienna banker did we'll
to leave all his worldly wealth in ex-
change for smile. Like the quality
of mercy it is not for sale, but drop
peth like the gentle dew from Heaven.
1t is twice blessed, inasmuch as it
blesses both giver and receiver. Sweet
are the voices of the birds as they
carol in the springtime, sweet the rip
ping of the running brook, sweet the
lowing of the kline as they wander
o'er the lea" and sweet ''the honest
watchdog's bark, baying deep
mouthed welcome as we draw near
home.'' But sweeter, yes, sweeter
far than these, is the smile expressive
of woman's unsel6sh love. No no.
bier theme than this can engage the
pen Of poet, and the minstrels of all
ages have delighted to sing of the
tender passion in all its phases of the
abstract and the concrete. But the
specific case of hopeless old age made
momentarily happy by a smile as
through the Clouds. still awaits treat
ment of the supernal sentiment in
volved in the incident. Tune your
harps, therefore, ye possessors Of the
"divine af1atus," and in numbers
worthy of Appollo himself sing the
praises of the smile that earned a
fortune.