The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1907-04-04
The Rise Of William Bentley
tOriglnal.1

else.
No one ever thought of calling him
Mr.. Bentley or even William. He was
universally known as Billy Bentley.
When Billy announced his intention to
take exercise every one laughed. A
great many kinds Of exercise were Of
fered to him, most of them for the pur-
pose Of guying him. One day the do
mimic said to him:
"Billy, If you wish to take exercise
and don't care to benefit yourself by 1t
except in health, why not do something
to benefit others?
"How?" asked Billy.
"At the bureau Of united charities we
need men to saw wood. Wood saving
is the best remedy dyspeptic can
lake. Go up there every day and give
your services to the poor. and perhaps
the Lord will return them to you null
tiplied.
Billy took the hint. Arrayed In a
frock coat, white waistcoat and
silk hat. he went to the bureau and
sawed wood from 3 till 5. Then he
went home, took bath and ate din
ner that required another two hours
work to digest. He felt so much bet
ter that he kept w the wood saving
with great regularity.
One day soon after Billy commenced
to saw there was meeting Of the
lady directors of the bureau in the
building overlooking the woodward.
Billy was engaged in digestlng his yes
terday's dinner.
"Whos that out in the yard saving
wood?" asked Miss Arabella Stevens,
wealthy young lady much interested
in charitable work. "He doesn't look
like a pauper."
The manager was called in and ques-
toned. She reported that the gentle
mans name was Bentley and that he
sawed wood. she supposed, from an In
terest in the poor.
Now, the ladies present had husbands
or brothers or sons, but none Of them
had ever seen or heard Of man who
loved the poor so well as to saw wood
for them. 1t was hard enough to get
the men to give money, and when
man hadn't that to give he gave moth
ing.
"Isn't it perfectly lovely?" said Miss
Stevens.
"Such true charity!' remarked the
president
Reminds one Of the sacrifice Of the
widow who gave her mite" observed
the secretary.
Il wonder who he is anyway" asked
q director. /
'He's aristocratic looking even while
doing a work so far beneath gentle
man." put in another director.
HE ennobles the work." added
third.
When after month had rolled
round and the board met again at the
same place and hour, there was Billy
bending over saw buck getting him
self in shape to gorge himself again at
dinner. The board was thrown into a
lutter of admiration compared with
which the original discovery Of the
friend Of the poor was as nothing. How
could this charitable wonder be util-
lied In the world Of philanthropy? 1t
was like finding diamond in the mud.
Billy was sent for to appear before the
board and. without being given an op-
portunity to give true account Of him
self, was obliged to listen to adulation
that astonished him. Then he blushed
and said that saving wood was excel
lent exercise.
"Did you ever see such modesty?"
whispered the secretary to the treas
urer.
''The only genuine exposition Of Let
not your right hand know what your
left hand doeth' l have ever met WITH"
replied the treasurer.
Then the president asked Billy IL he
would accept the position of superin-
tendent Of all the charities under the
direction Of the bureau. Billy was too
astounded to reply. Then the presi-
dent told him that his charitable ma
ture was only equaled by his modesty
and he should have q week to consider
Before the end of the week Billy re.
ceived an Invitation to dine with Miss
Stevens and ate so enormous a dinner
that the lady remarked:
Poor man! He works so hard for
offers it's no wonder he needs to eat
heartily"
Every man needs opportunity, and
Billy Bentley had found his Whether
he would have grasped it had 1t not
been for the interest Miss Stevens
took in him is another matter. Certain
1t is that Billy, seeing a possibility of
possessing her and her fortune, con-
centrated his faculties on his work.
Naturally he turned to labor saving.
Now, some managers will work very
hard and accomplish very little. 9th
ers will work very little and accom-
plish great deal.
Billy was one Of the latter kind.
Though he sat at his desk sharpening
his pencil, he managed the United
Charities remarkably well. But this
was merely starter. Mr.. Bentley de-
veloped an administrative talent that
was truly surprising. One of his old