The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-16

| nolds related t.
the poor and needy. He had theory
(not quite his OWN that the execution
Of the poor, by some painless method
would settle forever the whole cues
ton Of pauperism.
II poverty were made a crime, pun
ishable with death, poor person
would soon become a rarity. Such
was his idea.
But as he found that the world
however anxious it might be to ADOPT
such a drastic measure, was not We,
quite ready to do SO, he carefully con
sidered other means.
Being strictly a theorist, he gave
away nothing to the distressed, be-
cause he looked upon indiscriminate
charity as a huge mistake, and con.
sidered the existing alms-giving or
CARNATIONS as dismal failures.
He was enthusiastic in the pursuit
OF knowledge OF the poor and their
habits.
When a hungry widow with eight
or nine children called upon him. he
would give them all warm welcome,
take down q big book, enter their
names. ages, diseases, pedigree, etc. !;
express the greatest sympathy; warn
them against extravaganza, and the
pomps and vanities Of this wicked
world; then promise the fullest inves.
tigation.
Mr.. Reynolds was Just as hearty In
receiving call from the ordinary
tramp of the day. Such a one would
be invited to seat by the stove, and
his history. secured by means of
much questioning, would be entered
into one Of the books.
The caller would be asked for his
views on the tariff. trusts, single tax,
etc. After keeping the poor fellow on
the rack until every tavern had been
closed. Mr.. Reynolds would send him
out In the cold world, moneyless.
Reynolds, assisted by his wife,
formed a Girls Club" and got the
members to practice scrubbing, sewing
and other household pleasures, at his
own home. He took down their names,
ETC., etc., and sent them away with
his blessing But this organization
was short-lived.
One day there called at the Rey-
nolds homestead respectfully dressed
man, selling collar buttons. He was
greeted by the owner as though he
were long-lost brother, and seated
IN one of the easiest chairs.
Mr.. Reynolds cot down to the sew.
enteenth volume Of the "Mendicant
Register" and asked the weary trav.
eler all about his ancestors, habits,
age, and so on, as usual; but when
ne wanted to weigh the peddler, the
latter evidently thought it time to call
a halt. He plainly told his host that
1t was not the year for taking the
census, intimating strongly, in eddy
shaped sentences, that he was there
entirely in the shirt-fastening inter.
est
Mr.. Reynolds explained, by way of
reply, that. only the previous day he
had bought no less than three collar
buttons at the shop. which would last
MIN for some months to come, and
that his wife did not use such things.
He then started in to compare the
present times with the days of the
old Greeks and Romans, when they
fastened their shirts with rope. At
this the collar button vendor got vexed
and saw that he had been merely the
victim of statistics.
His sense Of humor being dull he
forthwith proceeded to handle Broth
err Reynolds rather roughly. Having
placed the statistician on the floor. he
sat on him, took away his watch and
other valuables, and, after kicking the
dog, departed.
In time the editor of the "Mendi-
cant Register" came to himself. AT.
ter adjusting his clothing he sat down
to think things over
Had he made a mistake? Was II
true that his efforts to learn all about
the poor-their troubles, their views
and their aims-had been in vain?
The pugilistic collar.button sales
man had told him some plain truths,
and had brought them right home in
a rather unpleasant manner.
AS result Of a long, serious
think" Reynolds finally came to the
conclusion that he would let the Door
work out their own salvation. As
for his books of record, he removed
them to the cellar. and they were
used as fuel for his furnace.