The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-12-20
The Benefactor
A Christmas story


Richard Macmillan and Miss
Martha. his aunt, discussed q
problem OF coincidence, that same hard
riddle which has busied SO many
tongues and pens andcl known by the
name OF etainted money"
There was q certain rich man named
Curtis Langdaie, who had married
some years ago q cousin Of Macmillan's /
mother. The young clergyman had re-
icelveA various small faYors from Lang
.daiN-presents at Christmas not only
for himself. but for Aunt Martha and
Tor Miss Amy Branford. to whom Mac
MILAN was engaged. In particular
there had been q check for $50 every
Christmas Tor the last three years, since
Macmillan had been pastor Of the so
called Sandstone church Of Southfeld,
md this check was a contribution 10
;tlao charity fund OF the church.
Abont q year before the date OF this
narrative the attention Of the Rev. Mr..
Macmillan had been sharply called to
Tie fact that Mr. Langdale was a very
modern anancier, whose chief delight
md most resent form OF profitable bust
neEs consisted in half wrecking a bank
through eonniyance with some official
thereof. buying control from frightened
9stockholders and then putting the bank
On Its legs again.
The knowledge of this truth so at
fected the Rev. Mr.. Macmillan that he
had "a serious talk with Mr.. Langdale
In that gentieman's Office in New York
and returned The las check for $50 on
the ground that his church would be
more blessed without 1t On this oc-
caSion Mr.. Langdale, who had q genius
for Discrimination, protested to SYM
pathlze with Mr.. Macmillan's opinion,
to be grateful for his friendly admoni-
lions and In all ways very ready to
serve him should occasion arise.
And now the occasion, vaguely
propheefed by Langdale, had really
come, and I'm such form that Macmil-
Ian kneWsnot how to deal with 1t; for,
In q certaiA sense, 1t was not his 0wn
conscience that should render the de-
ctston, nor was the sacrifice his. It
was Amy Branford's.
Amy bad just celebrated her twenty
nfst birthday and was certainly old
enough to DO q free moral agent. She
had heen left almost alone in the
world by4thes death Of her father two
years ago and vas now living with
relatives In Southfeld who were in
narrow circumstances. Her father had
left considerable property, but in such
an involved condition that no income
could be extracted from It, and the
estate itself drew and nearer
to total extinction.
Mr.. Macmillan was the trustee Of
this property, and he had striven with
all his power to a " 1t. He believed
himself to be a good business man; he
had conhdence IN the policy which he
had pursued ia this matter, and yet,
almost In the moment of victory, he
found himself face to face with total
defeat Ready oney-that was the
only thing that could save the day. A
few thousands In cash. not later than
Dec. IS, would put all right; the lack
Of 10 would mean irreparable disaster.
It was the morning Of Wednesday,
Dec. q, ana he had failed to raise the
money.
why don't you go to Mr. Lang
daIer' said Aunt Martha, and that re
mark had pnecipitated the discussion.
Now, IL happened that in the news
papers &C that morning there was q
particularly interesting story about
Mr.. Langda1e, 10 the effect that he had
begun his usual game upon the old
Dey Street National bank.
"H'u go and see Amy" said he. eff
anything issto be done there Is no time
to lose
He fannA Amy engaged In a snow
ball ba&t1e with her cousins two little
boys. The girls cheeks were Redeemed
with the exercise In theec crisp air; heI
eyes shone with alIuring fires; her 1.-The
form quivered with delicate and &C.
cordant energies; the exquisite beauty
Of her youth seemed to transcend real
fty, and the MAJ stood for some sec
onds u~npareeSRed, watching her with
thrill OF woMdae. But this divine en-
chantmenk could not endure. Surely
there was a malign and sordid spell
upon him working against the heaven
" powers, for as she came forward q
greet him he observed that the gowT
she wore was one that b had de
SPARED ofsHepairing q year ago.
"AmFA@@19 NE, DrSdAluS Su0oCAAJ
from th6s1gat6r talk, 81 want you Il
read this, and ne laid the newspapel
article before her. mot all of 1t. Th'
Rist is In the first three paragraphs"
She scanned them rapidly and thel
looked up at him.
"Do you think this makes any OH
ferenqeY she asked. timidly trying t
read It's face. perhaps it isn't true
Really i can't believe that Mr.. Lang
dale WEoHid do such a thing. And. be
sides. he wouldn't dare. He might b
sent to prison"
He seized her little mittened hand II
q tight grip.
"Dear child" said he, do you wisl
me to no to Mr.. LangdaleT
'Whg. Richard, not If you think It