Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-09

I but food never. Van Bibber's plan for
feeding the hungry. have found most sat-
isfactory. so that when an applicant de-
cares GA himself starving dispatch him with
the sexton and an order for a square meal
10 the cafe across the way. Oddly enough
nave never Known one of our guests 10
return for second feast-which might
speak III or our neighbours bill OF fare
were IL not that the sexton frequently loses
ms charge ere he reaches the door
MY secretary had an amusing experience
VI 49,, ,i'is kihd once. She was young and not
oVer-rich. but she had theories; and one
cay when a poor woman called asking
iooo ana aims. and | was away she gem
erousiy onered her her own lunch She
woman suggested taking II home she in
sisted that 1t should be eaten at once
Gingerly 1t was opened by the old crone
ana scornfuliy turned over. 1t was too dry
to eat. she said she must take IL home.
why. L will get y6i some water replied
her benefactress Water. water my dearr
she exclaimed departing. I haven't
touched water for seventeen years And -
continued the minister, when l heard tho
tale l believed her."
But you don't go on helping people like
that. do your" the Star man interpoIated
Not when we can avoid it." the clergy
man replied, but there are times when
there is nothing else TO be done. That is.
nothing that l have been able to find IL
people are not fit subjects for an aims
house or hospital. and yet won't work,
what can you do with them? Let them
starve? Yes, l have tried that; but Il does
not do; it's doctrine that the outside
world does not understand Sometimes 1
nave almost wished that the world were
less charitable, for never have | tried a
bit OF this discipline to bring a lazy man
10 terms that some one did not find me
out and set all the other charitable institu-
tons upon me- You understand of course
that / say this in jest. | am continually
m M In fuNt hat he a
is not half SO hard hearted as the people
or even your press. would make il out.
Usually lack of sympathw merely signifies
a lack of proper understanding Any one
can understand what il means to be hum
cry or cold, or in bodily pain; and in my
entire experience / have never known APP
pea!s on these grounds to go unanswered.
Are the rich generous? Yes, / believe
they are, and the poor are very very gen
erous. l am continually amazed to see
now largely the persons whom we-you and
would consider poverty-stricken give to
each other. Not only give, but do know
a good woman in one of the poorer
tons of our city who last winter, when
the cold was extreme, took the quilt on
her own bed 10 a sick neighbor and slept
herself under newspapers; and ! know
three working girls, who several summers
ago gave up their own vacation trips in
order to send an ailing comrade to the sea-
shore for month They did 1t. too, In such
way that she could neither refuse nor
thank them. l am reminded OF another in
cident. At Thanksgiving, as Is our custom,
we sent a dinner to of our poorer par
ishioners-a widow with one young son.
Calling the next week at her home asked
casually whether II had reached her safely.
and was good, and to my establishment
she did not at first reply. Directly how
ever, when ! would have changed the SUBJ
ject. she explained in a deprecating voice
that there a family across the street
in much need-a mother and four five
little children: a father drunk and unem-
ployed-and she hoped l would not mind.
but she and Tommy had sent ii over there.
"Pathos-yes, there is good deal OF Il;
but there is a humorous side too That is
the saving salt. | shall not soon forget
the tramp who declared that when L got
imam equally tight place he would 'recip-
rocate,' or the woman who dropped in last
week claiming assistance upon the ground
that l had often been to her for help. My
memory for faces is not very good | regret
to say, and, after scanning her features
and seeking every recess of my brain for a
clue to her Identity. L was obliged to ask
the question, Your name, madam" Why,
don't you remember me?' she blandly re-
piled. I'm Mrs. E.. who used to keep the
employment agency"
Just then the green baize door reopened
and The Star man, remembering another
assignment found his hat and went on his
way, firmly of the belief. as the minister
had said. that this not such bad
old world after all