The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-14
the DRAWBACKS OF CHARITY
BY RuDoLPE

IN a little village in Turkey lived a
ong time ago., a man, though own
ms 4 hritiit.1u' piece of land, still was
act bile to raise enough on it 10 make
ooth enda meet. Ere saw therefore,,
hat he would hay tn 20 ething
Use besides farming and, q hances
W"le few in the village, re ao.,. o.t his
property and wen to a large city.
AS every stranger, he Went to an
mn, hired a room from the handschi
md made himself at home. Every day
ne went into the business part and
thought of some business which he
might start himself, but in the evening
ae went home, and over his coffee spoke
to his newly made acquaintance of
his plans. His friends gave him plenty
of advice, but he could find nothing to
suit him.
another business he did not ave mon
ey enough, and none Of them seemed
to him absolutely safe.
One day as he was walking through
the street he passed by a church and
saw there a great number OF people
listening to the sermon Of the hod-
scha. Surely he must preach beau
tful words since so many listen to him
today" he thought, and went inside.
The hodscha was just telling his list
eners how beautiful it was to give
away, and how Allah returned in ten
LSio ACS1ltl 6l.CI AWAY lO ln6
poor.
When u man heard this he right
away thought that here was a good and
safe business for him. Allah is a man
who is always able to fulfil his obli-
cations" he thought, and no other
business gives returns OF a thousand
per cent.
So he walked out and Immediately
began to give away his money to the
poor, and he kept it UP without stop
ping for two days, though the inn
keeper tried to stop him, and at last
he had no money left.
The next day more guests arrived
at he inn II the innkeeper declared
that he needed his room for somebody
else.
But where will I go to when you
chase me away?
Now, the handschi did not want to
incur the wrath OF Allah by being hard
on a man who had given all his money
to the poor, SC he said:
Oh, l will let you sleep on the bench
In the coffee room for a few nights"
The man was satisfied with this. and
slept on his bench there every night
for six months.
The one day the handschi came to
him and said:
My friend, now all my rooms are
taken and a merchant wants to sleep
on your bench. Besides, 1t is altogether
too narrow for you, but there Is a
large basket in the yard, the nights are
hot and you will be much more COM
Portable there"
Maybe o are right the man re-
Piled. and from that day slept In the
basket for over a year.
Then the handschi bought some chick
ems and told him that he needed the
basket to keep them in.
"All right, but where will I sleep
them? the man asked.
,tnh r have lolrnal,xF $500 -.
The coal cellar is quite large and there
is plenty Of room for you next to the
coal, if o WILL"
Certainly, ! really never liked the
basket"
So BE now slept in the coal cellar
his miserable lot in life.
One morning lie crept out, all black
in the face from contact with the coal
and went out into the yard, where he
sat down on a stone. thoughtlessly Dig
ging In the sand with his cane Then
suddenly he saw something which gilt
tered. He picked it up and foundt that
IT was q beautiful diamond, and when
he hurriedly dug deeper he found an
old casket filled with costly jewelry.
He picked 1t all up and ran to a jewel
ry store where he received a large
amount OF money for it.
lie hurried back to the coal cellar
and counted 1t and found that it was
Just ten times as much as he had given
away, not n penny more or less.
Happ once more, he paid the land
lord. wrapped up the rest If his gold
and went to the church.
Many people were listening again to
the hodscha, who was just preachinR
Of. b beauties Of charity.
what you give to the poor" he
said. Allah will return to you ten
fold"
THAT is all true" the man shouted
sl know that from my own experiences,
Allah returns 1t all tenfold. but there
Is something about his ways which
may not please all Of you. Six months
you must sleep on a bench In q cofree
house. one year n q basket. ana two
years in a coal bin. II you want ia
dogsthat, all we'll and good: but I for
my part have had enough. and VIII
i've no more money to the poor.