Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-09-26
PHILANTHROPY
FEMININE
BY CLAUDE PAMARES
Copyright. 1906. by w. r. Caldwell.


1t could not be said of Miss Hattie
Shefilin, spinster, that at the age Of
thirty-eight she was good looking
woman. A spinster of that age cannot
be expected to be. The most that can
be expected is that she will be kind
hearted and have n desire to reform
the world and elevate the moral stand
ing of humanity generally.
Miss ShefIiln had that desire. In visit
ing New York city she had many, many
times observed hard up looking men
who were seemingly drifting into
careers of wickedness because there
was no one at hand to encourage them
and hold out helping hand. She had
often been tempted to address them,
but her brother Ben happened to be
along or she had seen some policeman
watching her or the hard up looking
man made a sneak as she was about to
stop.
1t was when Brother Ben went 10
Europe on business that his sister de-
termined to carry out her long cher
ished plans. She had the time and the
money! and the steamer was hardly
clear oY Fire island when she was in
the city with her trunk and installed in
a boarding house where she had been
acquainted for a number Of years. In
confidence she told the landlady Of the
object of her visit 1t was all very well
to donate libraries and to endow hos
pitfalls and colleges, but when man
was walking the streets Of New York
with hunger gnawing at his vitals and
hope gone out OF his heart, of what
use were such institutions TO him?
"If you don't make fool Of yourself
then don't know how TO make hash"
replied the practical and level headed
landlady. as she remembered the names
OF Il few hard up men of the scores that
had taken her in for a few weeks
board since she had been i'm the board
ing house business.
But how can | make n fool of my
self, as you term it?" was asked. "If
| speak kindly and encouragingly TO
some hopeless and penniless man, if
help him to a situations; if | give him
the opportunity to earn an honest liv-
ing once more. where can you criti-
ciseT'
Never you mind You've got money.
and you've got heart, and I've moth
ing further to say"
If she had had anything further to
say it would have done no good 1t
wasn't two hours later that Miss Shelf
Hin set out on her quest She hadn't
far 10 look. Any one who is seeking a
homeless, hopeless man from twenty
five 10 seventy years of age can find
him in upper Broadway at any hour OF
the day or night. He is there and look
ing for Il good thing.
Miss Shetilin found one leaning up
against the railing i'm front of drug
store His face betrayed gloom and his
general attitude disconsolation, and as
he looked in the bottles i'm the window
he seemed to he wondering which held
laudanum and which strychnne. She
was about TO address him when plain
clothes detective came from the other
direction and said TO the man:
"Now, then, out OF this or I'll run
you in"
The hopeless man sighed and moved
on wearily. He moved like one hurt
and Inundated He moved down to-
ward the East river, as If he would
take II header off the dock and end it
all. Miss Shefflin followed after. and
at the corner she overlook him and
said:
You seem TO be in trouble. sir. and
IL can assist you ! shall be glad to do
So"
He was man about thirty years old
He had tin horn gambler and free
lunch written all over him, but the old
maids eyes detected no sign lie look
ed at her for minute and wondered
what sort of plant it was. Then
he became conscious that he had
struck one Of those good things" he
had read about and heard tell ola
female philanthropist. Removing his
hat and deepening his hopeless look.
he replied:
Miss. | have been out of work for
weeks and weeks. and. so help me
heaven, | have had no food for two
days. | was thinking of throwing
myself under a street car and ending
il all"
How wicked to think of taking your
own life.'
But of what use TO live and walk
the Streets penniless and hungry?
Didn't you just see detective drive
me along like a dog
~ did. and | felt almost like shoot
ing him. Please follow me to my
boarding house and tell me your stor.'."
He followed. He winked mt an ac-
Quantance rs he followed. and his
wink was returned. He ran across the
andlady as he entered the house after
Miss Shefilin. and he heayed n sigh o.
relief as he found her face unfamiliar.
AT the same time. however. he real
lied that she was not philanthropic
landlady-nOt one to be taken in 5y
any ordinary tale OF distress.
Sitting i'm the parlor beside the old
maid and working up all the pathOs he
could. the tin horn man told his tale.
IL was one that brought tears TO her