The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-04-23

dow, L thought OF the poor Iello"S
who would have to line up in the
Bread Line that night; Of the work
less men who, in this great, wealthy
city, have nowhere to shelter them
or to lay their heads and rest.
I was called to the desk. Two men,
was told, wished to speak to me.
AS I went toward them I saw that
they were poorly yet comfortably
clad-workmen out of work, most
likely. Another appeal, thought I.
Whatever can We do for that unend-
ing throng Of unfortunates? The
men were no better dressed than those
who assemble nightly in the Bread
Line, with the exception that these
had overcoats on-the pawnshop had
not yet got them. They were un-
kempt and dirty, but, as [ came
nearer, I noticed that their dirt was
OF the wholesome, grimy kind-the
dirt that comes to men who are for
tunate in being blessed with the boon
Of labor.
Pulling off their hats they exposed
to view rough, touzled heads-touzl-
ed and matted with the sweat of work.
They looked at each other, and then
suddenly started off together, "We'-
We called to see you" They stopped.
"You give it him, Tom," said one.
"No, you," said the other. "You We
got the paper.'' "This is Mr.. Earl,
ain t it?" said the first. "We hear
that you take in money here. [ mean"
he hurriedly went on to explain
"that you take in money here for
the poor chaps as is out of a job.'
"Ye-es," I said slowly, not quite
comprehending this unusual approach.
"What can I do for you?"
They didn't reply for a bit, but
"Tom" watched his companion, who
began fishing up, from out of the ap-
parently bottomless pocket of a we'll
worn overcoat, a mixture Of dimes
and dollars and cents and quarters
and nickles. Gathering the heap to-
gether in two great, big, black muscu-
lar fists, he said, "You have the pa
per, Bob. Tell him how much it is.'
"Bob" fshed a sheet of smudged
| foolscap from out Of his pocket and,
after several attempts to- make 1t out,
handed it over to me to do so. "But
what is all this for?" I asked. "This
here," he replied, ''is for the pore
chaps as have nowheres to go at
nights. It's from us to them, God
help 'em!" "But you men cannot
afford to do this, can you?'' I asked.
"Is it your intention to donate this
money to the Bread Line?'
"Wen, you see," said Boby cit
was just like this: The moneys not
azackly our'n. The fellows up at the
yard says, says they, This is an aW-
full cold snap. Let's make collect
ion for the pore fellows as is out o.
job. God help 'em! We know what
it is; and, though we take care Of our
own crowd, We knows as there's lots
of fellows as has no one to fall back
on; an so the boys all clipped in,
and this is what we made up"
This was Charity!
They refused, absolutely, to give
their names; but, looking over the
struggling list Of some thirty or forty
contributors, I learned that this tlr:ee
blessed and thrice holy gift came
from the earnings Of the workers in
the train yards of the New York Gen.
trail Railroad.
Thus are the poor even the most
ready to help the poor: for they
know! Yes, bitterly indeed do they
know!
Money is. helpful-is indeed saliva
ton to those starving men; but IT you
in the city, who read this, would
hunt up some odd jobs around your
houses, Or create a little supple
mentary work in your factories and
offces-something that might be lett
over till the Sumner, but that could
be done just now; and if you people
in the country would think up some
labor around your barns and out
houses or mormulate your Spring
plans little ahead Of time, you Will
| not only experience the exquisite
pleasures of "Sweet Charlty,' but
YOU will benefit yourselves on the do
ing of real live missionary work,
probably saving the lives, and may
hap the souls of~honest workingmen.
Remember that these men are wait
ino-tha+ the work is not wanted