The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1911-03-17
AS A PHlLANTHRoPlsT
A Toast by DR.. Josie E. Wells.

A Toast by DR.. Josie b. Wells.
Mr.. POSTMASTER, Ladies and Gentle.
men:
No word is needed from you to warn
me am not expected to tell half the
philanthropic deeds done by the hon
Gree of this occasion, for this would
take us in the morning, and the half
would not be told. But l come simply
to tell you of this model philanthropic
lady as | know her. During the past
eight years | have been intimately as
ISOLATED with Mrs. Napier. | can say
and say truly, she is to my mind, a
model woman and a true philanthro-
pist. During these years in which |
have been associated with Mrs. Napier
have never known her to turn aside
from helping the poorest individual,
who needed material help; or to with
hold anything she could do of service
to others. Each day between the door
bell and the phone, it is no incessant
interruption, and many Of these calls
are for help. Sometimes it is a call
for her time to listen to the reading
of an article by All author, or young
woman's essay, or friend claims the
time to tell her woes or joys. She
gives hec time-her precious time
like the merciful Father gives the
rain. And the real beauty of her work
is, she is entirely unconscious Of the
good she accomI fishes at these inter-
ruptions
AS club woman, for real work,
she stands second to none. She is
president Of the Day Home Club, and
through her leadership that club has
accomplished more genuine, material
work among the poor people than any
other club in the city.
Incident after incident crowds upon
my mind, of the many individual acts
OF the true philanthropist; among
them, one that few people know is,
Story of the girl who married.
Then to my mind l see her little
adopted daughter, into whose life sne
has infused so much brightness and
happiness; and whom she has made
know that the mind is the real thing
that counts in life; and a more intel
lectual-I might say a more brilliant
and beautiful character you cannot
find, than in the person of this young
girl.
Mrs. Napier's list of friends are
found in all walks of life, and many
hearts will be sad at her going.
Among them, add my personal tes-
timOny as to what her friendship has
meant to me- If l have accomplished
anything in my efforts here; if I have
had any success in my work (and
have had little), owe large share
Of it to my good friend, Mrs. Napier.
Many times | have been discouraged
and tired out; | have gone and poured
out my grievance to her and have al
ways left her better for the going.
And now my good friend, Mrs Napier,
If have seemed to weigh with light
weight all your friendship has meant
to me, let me amend for it now by de-
olaring here before our friends, you
have been my greatest inspiration,
have never started anything where
the cause was a worthy one but that
you have stretched forth your hand,
your influence to help me. Only a
few days ago when | told her l could
not get any one to furnish the Mater
nifty Ward at the new Hubbard Hospi-
tal even though her family had made
a generous donation, she gave fifty
dollars of her own money to furnish
this ward, and in a hundred other
ways she has helped me in this club
Have no fear that time will cause the
gratitude l bear you to lessen.
Perhaps there was no, place where
Mrs. Napier appeared to better advan-
tage than in her home. AS a model
woman, an ideal housekeeper, she. is
excelled by none. System and order
in her home is the first law. AS
model wife, l know no woman her
equal-and, if any one here felt in
cliped to dispute me, have a few
real facts to offer in rebuttal. first,
she stops everything, regardless how
full the day may be, and listens to
her good husband read the newspaper
rough--matters not how dry or long
the political speech is, she discusses
this with her husband and when every
iota of the paper has been perusel
she sends him off to the Office happy
for the day.