The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-28
BREAD CAST ON THE WATERS"
Benefact0r Remembered in His
Time of Need.
Joe Foy's Christmas Gift-Smuggiing
in n holiday Feast-Thc Start in
life of willie Long-Tcstator'S PiOu~
Fraud.
For The Messenger.

tnlnS more than a year ago TO z OF
the ~tiaeWater towns of North Carolina
| heard an interesting story Of one Of
it's citizens.
Years z there lived Joseph r. FOy,
Joe" FOy, as he was generally called
a bachelor, then about 45 years of
age, aad a remarkable man in both
his physical appearance and his mental
n moral characteristics. He was lean
and why in build, with a swarthy face
always clean shaver, a heavy shock
of brown hair, a broad, low forehead.
Il hin Tipped mouth, which could utter
very caustic things, and a square, de.
terunined chin This physiogonomical
makeup of a hard, stern man Of the
world, was most ppuzzlingly ser III
naught by eyes of deep, dark blue. re
markedly full of expression. with the
steely CLINT of fight in them now and
then, and again all the softness and
tenderness of a woman.
Fey was a man of considerable
means, mostly in bank, factory, rail
Toaa stock and other securities; and
his annual income was far beyond his
yearly expenses. He kept a liberal de
posib in bank, II was a money lender
always exacting good security and the
legal rate of interest, for in business
his square chin and hard mouth quail
ties came to the front. Only III or
two 8os intimate friends knew Of the
SUMS decreasing that bank account
IL alternating want and suffering, for
his lett hand new naught of the right
hands generosity. His family consist
ed Of n ~hOusekeeper, one or W. GER
wants, and a sister bedridden the great
er aart Of her life with spinal disease.
He fairly idOliZed her, and had spent
money like water to effect her cure.
ThsHgA both he and she had long given
up all hope of that, he still laviShed
on her everything in the way OF COM
forts N luxury that might give her
ease and a small measure OF happ ness
One Christmas Eve, during q spell
OF the un~seasonably warm weather
which sometimes with winter
sOlstiee, Joe Foy. who had been DOWN
the river. was returning home from
the steamer through a side street, wncn
through an open window Of a small
house, he heard in a %plaintive childs
voice: Mother. won't We have Any
Christians tomorrow No, my child,
was Hs reply, with a. world Of pathos
in the tired, mournful tones, eve have
only a little bread and cheese for TO-
mOrsew's breakfast; and, unless Willie
got q job today, and comes back with
some money, God only can help us
Mr.. Fey went on his way, deeply
Redhztiag, and had gone some dis
tane 60 en- his route home, when he sud
deal turned on his heel, and retracea
MIS- STEPS TO a restaurant kept by a Dig
hearae0 Irishman named Mahoney. Ad-
vana1nE to the lunch counter, where
the Mop4detor was standing. he in
quirea VITAE lived in the little house ON
the side street, describing the locality.
1t was yae poor home Of the Widow
Long. Mehoney told him. Her husband
had sfeS about two years before from
injuries received while engineer on q
raffpaaS. and since then she had 4 hard
strussGa to feed her children. She took
in washing when she could get II. and
her eldest son, Willie, though a cripple,
earned a little by O~ccasiouaL jobs. But
it's a sad case, Mr.. Foy." said Mahoaey,
a pafaed look coming over his Jolly
face; ana Foy knew without asking
thas many a meal went to the widow {
HUM EkSkh - u SSS $500 wv
men caIked long and earnestly in a low
iona Finally Mahoney exclaimed:
THAT'S fine in you, sor, and it's myself
that Knows how to fix it. The WIDOW
Loas never misses church with her
chsaren. and, above all. Christmas
service in the Episcopal church tomor-
row raerning. though the blessed Jesus
knows it's hard for the poor cratur tC
--- D~ooI pvhi1A chn'C =
church, I'll break into her house cne
back way-I've done it before, to con,
fess the truth-and spread the feast il
the dining roOm." Here SAID MI
Fov. Srawing from his pocket $25, en-,
closing 1t in an envelope, and lnScflo'
ing Christmas Gift" on it, pin this
around the hook of the ham.
A day or two after Christmas. as joe
Fov was at his desk in his Office, a DO,
about IS years old, supporting himself
on a crutcf, entered, and. removing nj:
shabby cap, made a low bow. "hotheI
slipped off the steps yesterday. an
hurt her ankle, or she would have com
herself. We want to thank you, sir
for your goodness to US. VINO /
YOUR mother, my boy, and how wa
auod to your She is the Widos
Long, sir, and it's the n CHRISTINA:
dinner. and the money. We thank yo'
very mugh, for we had not a bit o
bread or meat that day, n mothe
had not a cent of money" Tut, tut
my boy, Santa Claus sent o thos
good things"
Oh, no. sir. We thought at frs i
was Ifr. Eahoney. for he has been yer.
good 30 us, and the name OF his restau
rant was on the napkins that cam
with the dinner. But when / wer- t
thank him and here a smile stol
over the boys bright face, in spite o
the tears in his blue eyes-"he sal
he'd tell the truth if you Drained hir
with a shillelah, for you were an ange
unauuzes." A fretful quicker purse
up the Hps Of Mr.. Foy, as he answere
tina MaAoney was q foolish feuo7
Tell your mother that she owes m
no THANKS. but I ann glad that you a
had aood cheer on Christmas. Stay