The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-12-23
CHRISTMAS FOR
A POOR WIDOW
HEART OF POOR SOUTH SIDE
WOMAN MADE HAPPY.
Widow Without Funds. Too-proud 20
Al for Charity. Receives Help
From Unknown Frienda


The gift without the giver is bare.
Who feeds his neighbor. feeds threes
himself. his nelghbor ard Me.
In a humble home in South Wheel
Ing resides a poo widow. without in
come. and. she thought. without
friends Her only means OF subsist-
ance for many months past has been
the slender plttancs which she is able
10 command by doing the coarsest
kind o. needlework which her kindly
n%eighbors have given her 10 do.
Her condition, however. was no;
always this. One day she was the
wife OF a well 10 do resident Of an
other city IA West Virginia. where a
thriving business brought prosperity
10 their home and they occupied an
enViaOie position IN their
Reverses came and shortly afterwarc
death claiming the husband. she was
left with little beyond a stern old
family pride and an utter inability TO
support herself. Like many anothe
IN similar circumstances she came 10
the larger city hoping against hope
To settle into some mitch where she
might better support herself and live
IN some semblance OF the comfort TO
which she had been raised and had
been taught by right was hers.
But the city proved unkind. A
position as goyerness yielded little re-.
turn and even this soon slipped from
her inexperienced fingers. With money
gone and no friends TO whom she
could turn, the cheapest quarter Of
The city called 10 her and for the past
several months she had resided near
CaidWeiIs run. existing on the Dit.
lance which she is able to exc out
from n~eedlework. at which she ia none
100 skilled. But pride has held her
tongue n until one az her neigh.
DORIS told the reporter her story none
outside OF a few who have seen her
IN her home knew the pitiful tale OF
misery which has been hers.
But that is the sordid part OF the
story and better forgotten by those
who are To know her in the future.
The other day a neighbor woman
CHANGED 70 mention Christmas TO her
and amid a food OF tears she told the
story OF the last real Christmas OF her
NE. Two years ago. II was "A touch.
ing story. told from the heart and told
only as n who has lived through
the darkest sOrrows OF life can tell
such. IL went home. And here comes
the bright side.
h woman who heard the story is
herselt the wife % "a poor man and
knows only the poor for friends. But
among the few whom she claims for
friends b gathered up a little collec.
ton. a few pennies here. a dime there
and p muni1cient gift OF 4 hall dol.
lar.
The poor widow does not know from
whence came the sudden bounty that
VIII bring 10 her a Christmas. Indeed.
Christmas has already come 10 her
Tor the good friends did not wait until
the dawn Of December %. Instead. an
envelope slipped under the door the
other night. for present needs are
more urgent than future. and now that
poor woman Is happy. not so much be.
cause she received the little sum OF
money from the unknown givers but
because with the money came their
hearts.
And the end Is not yet. for to-mor-
row she Is TO Do rendered n position
IN one Of the city's stores. Influences
OF which she does not know were set
20 work. and though clerks viii many
OF them be suspended for a time fol
lowing Christmas day. vet this poor
woman will be provided for. And
those who know her feel sure that
with her refinement and apparent edu-
cation the future will be taken care OF
FOR all time. and life in comfort Will
again hold q Joy for her.
Surely the old poets words are true
Who feeds his neighbor. feeds three. %