Evening journal., 1909-07-16
The Rise Of William Bentley
toriginail

William Bentley. having an enor-
nous appetite. was driven to exercise
or death. He reluctantly chose exer-
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, II you wish to take exercise
and don't care to benefit yourself by 1t
except in health, why not do something
to benefit others?'
"HowY" asked Billy.
AT the bureau Of united charities we
need men TO saw wood. Wood saving
Ia the best remedy a dyspeptic can
take. Go mp there every day and give
your services to the poor, and perhaps
the Lord viii return them to you mul-
tiplied.
Billy took the hint. Arrayed IN
frock coat, a white waistcoat and q
silk hat he went to the bureau and
sawed wood from TIL g. Then he
went home, took a bath and ate a din
ner that required another two hours
work to digest. He felt so much bet
ter that he kept up the wood saving
with great regularity.
One day soon after Billy commenced
to saw there was a meeting of the
lady directors Of the bureau in the
building overlooking the woodward.
Billy was engaged in dlgestlng his yes
terdays dinner
who's that out in the yard saving
wood?" asked Miss Arabella Stevens,
a 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 a 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 a
man hadn't that to give he gave moth.
Ing.
Isn't 1t perfectly lovelyT said Miss
Stevens.
"such true charltyw remarked the
president.
Reminds one Of the sacrifice Of the
widow who gave her mitew observed
the secretary.
Il wonder who he is anyway" asked
a director.
He's arlstocratic looking even while
doing a work so far beneath gentle
man." put in another director.
He ennohles the work." added a
third
When after month had rolled
round and the board met again at the
same place and hour, there was Billy
bending over a saw buck getting him
self In shape to gorge himself again at
dinner. The board was thrown into a
hutter 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? It
was Ike finding a diamond in the mud
Billy was sent for to appear before the
board and, without being given an op-
portunity to give a true account Of him
self, was obliged to listen to adulatlon
that astonlshed 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' 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 prasi-
dent told him that his charitable ma
ture was only equaled by his modesty
and he should have a week TO consider
the matter.
Before the end Of the week Billy re-
ceived an invitation to dine with Miss
StVens and ate so enormous n dinner
that the lady remarked
Poor mani He works so hard for
others it's no wonder he needs to eat
heartily"
Every msa needs opportunity, and
Billy Bentley had found bis. Whether
/ he would have graspel It had II not
been for the Interest Miss Stevens
took in him IS another matter Certain
II is that Billy. seeing q possibility OF
/ possessing Ter and her fortune. con-
centrated his faculties on his work.
Naturally he turned to labor saving
Now, some managers VIII work very
hard and accomplish very little. 9th.
ers Will work very little and accom-
pllsh a 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 dc
veloped an administrative talent that
was truly surprising One Of his old
acquaintance called Il "a genius for
finding ways Of doing nothing where
there was much TO be done without In
convenience or other evil resuN"