Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-10-04
HIS FRIENDS
He Entertained Them but Once
By DANIEL. X. Won TROMP
Copyright. 1910. By American Press
Association.

Having occasion 10 NIStl IlttiS 'oNH
NESTING among the green hills OF Yer
mont one autumn on "A matter or Dusl-
ness, I was walking. satchel IN hahd'
from the station to the hotel or the
place when | was accosted 10y CHEEKY
man. who asked me If | were going TO
stop overnight in the town. Upon my
telling him that such was my inten-
ton he said 10 me:
Il sometimes receive guests i'll my
house and If you like S.ill entertain
you"
Not relishing a stay in the average
country hotel. / concluded to - Win
the man. lie led me TO the hahds0Il-
est house IN the place. II had no APP
pearance of being a hotel Indeed,
there was nothing public about 1t.
was shown to a bedroom containing
every comfort and convenience. | ar
rived near the dinner hour and when
went down into the dining room
found there only mine host ana ms
family about table at which there
was but one vacant seat. My host III
troduced me 10 his wife and daughters
md motioned me 10 the vacant chair.
Never was / more puzzled. had
been solicited. l supposed. by either
hotel runner OK Il landlord. yet seem
ell TO he in II private house Inc con
versation was general ana was enll'-
ened by bottle Of wine. This EN-
harrassed me. for landlords are not
used TO furnishing wine unless duly
ordered TO be paid for. l had ordered ;
no wine and did not know whether
would be permitted 10 return the
hosts civility by doing Sc. After dln-
ner | spent very pleasant evening
with him and his family and ut bed
time retired TO my room.
was given my breakfast the next
morning alone. and. as nothing was
said about remaining longer after l
had eaten. | took up my satchel for
departure Each one Of the family
cordially babe me goOdby. not one or
them expressing desire 10 see me
again. though the eldest daughters
eyes sank To the floor ut a pressure OF
the hand | gave her l could not
bring myself TO call for bill l con
tented myself with expressing my
thanks.
Going straight to the office of man
with whom / had business. l informed
him of my adventure and asked If he
could give me an explanation. He
smiled and said:
Have you read in the Arabian
Nights Entertainment the story of ,
the man who. disgusted with the self
ishness Of humanity. every evening
invited a stranger to sup and remain
the night with him and turned him
away in the morning.
81 have"
You have been entertained by such
a man"
And I will not be admitted under
his roof againT'
NO"
I'VE shall see about that But tell
me the siory."
Evan Thompson inherited the
wealth of his father and grandfather
Evan was always very tender hearted.
As soon as he came into his property
he began 10 give It TO any one who
needed H. lie never wasted Il penny
Of IL. Every cent was 4 blessing TO
whOmsOever il was given. To con
dense the story. be gave away his
whole patrimOny. including the house
in which he now lives Not being sat Z
isfied 10 remain a poor man among
those who had been his associates in
prosperity. be went away and was not
seen again here for ten years Then
he appeared one day ragged and for
iorn looking There was scarcely a i
person IN tie town who had not at
some time been assisted by him. He
applied to one after another for help /
What assistance was given him was
so trifing that II served him but for
a brief period. Some Of those he had
helped TO prosperity made him small
loans. realizing that until they were
paid be would not trouble them again.
Some paid no attention whatevcr 20
his solicitations. And 50. after he had
asked for help from everybody and
all had either refused him or put hin
where lie could not well ask for more.
be discovered that his former friends
s~r1~ rr-.~rfI