The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-13

en's blessings to come in. The dis- charge of dulles that are fully known and easily understood. Is the first quail ification for the comprehension of the deepest and most awful mysteries of our being and destiny.
 Let us be inspired by this thought: In this world the one thing supreme ly worth having is the capacity. coupled with the opportunity. to do we'll and worthjly g piece of work. the doing of which is of vital consequence to the welfare of mankind
 4 Former Case.
 Tn your issue of February IS. 1905. there Is a picture of a widow clasping her freezing little one to her breast. Above the picture 1t says, This Woman Needs Coal and below is the appeal. Won't you help her? Allow me to quote from The Huntsville Tribune, for 1t shows the good your paper has done for suffering humanity in the past. On February is, 1905, The Huntsville Tri. hune has the following comment:
 "1'he Appeal of Q Picture"
 .'The Montgomery Advertisers special artist presented yesterday what in plain language is called a picture. It was a picture of a destitute woman in destitute room, holding to her bosom an emaciated child. The cold stove was open. the empty scuttle was on the floor, the doors of the empty side board were swinging open, the snow was blowing through the broken win dow glass, the stamp of maternal mis- cry was on her face as she clasped the suffering child to her bosom. Under the picture was inscribed, Wont you help herY' There is language fin pic- ture. something which produces a suf- locating emotion In the human breast and fills the eyes with moisture. In- deed, we stop to ask, is there a hu- man being living so devoid of tender sympathies. who can pass unnoticed such suffering as that depicted in this picture2 Does any man love money better than he loves to relieve suffer- ing humanity? If such a brute exists, he Is and should be the devils own. The only true, genuine, real pleasure in life, the. pleasure that stays with you, Is the pleasure you obtain by contrib uting to the pleasure of others, 1t Is the grateful smile which acknowledges an appreciated kindness. A male hu- man who had not rather give S10 to relieve the suffering of an unfortunate mother and infant, than to have dol- lar to spend on his own selfish pleas ure. is too hard of heart, too mean. to be entitled to the distinction of being called man. Stili such beings mas querade around country and are rec. ognized as gentlemen. There are some of that class in our city today to whom homage is paid by the best of society. they are the men who have business elsewhere when the barefoot beggar comes their way. That they are as certain to be in hell later as they are in Huntsville now, where all things are equalized, is to us a foregone con- clusion If not pleasant reflection ''The suffering and distress among the poor is greater today than during the winter of 1905. Personal interest and financial support Is imperattvely needed In a large measure. and I be- lieve that the citizens of Montgomery will awaken to their duty with a deeper realization of the obligations upon them. There are many syInpa- thetic and generous hearted persons who readily respond to direct appeal for charity, and l could name several instances. but alas those instances are only a few among the many in this city who are today suffering for the actual necessities of life.
 The needs of starving men and wo- men. the claims of the sick. the weak. the wounded in life's battle, are inl perious and refuse to be waived, and the opportunities for doing good were never better.
 q have gone to a home of poverty
  sorrow enough there to break ones heart. and yet I hear nothing but ex- pressions of cheerfulness and grati- tude and hope. I go to another. and the wretched abode is full of murmur ing and impatience and wrath. The same cloud of affiIction has settled down upon the two homes. The fam inc has entered the home. The mother turns with horror from the pinched and shrunken face of her once beauti- ful babe, and the father feels a bitter satisfaction when he returns from his frultless search for work and finds that the mouths for which he brought no food will cry no more. Hunger dries up all the fountains of feeling and the fierce instinct of self-preser- vation sunders all ties. crushes all pity and makes men meet each other with the hungry and haggard look of the wolf haunting the fold, or the lion ra~ening for his prey.
 The Love That Suffers.
 "Paternal love Is ever the same in all lands. in all times among all peo- pie. It Is against the deepest and mfghtiest principles of nature for par ents to become indifferent to the well fare of children for whom they have toiled and suffered, on whom they have fixed their dearest hopes and fondest affections. and the most heart-rending sounds to their ears. Is to hear their little ones crying for bread.
 The poet says
 "He gives little who gives his tears: He gives more who aids in cheers. He does well in forest wild,
 Who stays the monster and saves the
 child
 But he does best and merits more. Who keeps the wolf from the widows
 door
 As God braids the brow of night with stars that look down from their distant thrones of light like the eyes of watching angels upon the world asleep SO should we crown the arch of each day with some act of charity, with some deed of love. with some thought or beauty, and then lie down to pleasant dreams,' with a clear con-