Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-19

The following pretty little story was
published Friday in the Boston Globe:
Midway, June 17.-George W. Bry-
ant Of Waterville, Me-. a retired bank
er. came to this village yesterday. In
side Of three hours he had bought a
lot Of land from Cutler Wilson; inside
Of another hour he had engaged e. H.
Collins Of Milford as an architect to
draw plans for a $500 bungalow to be
built on the lot. and had arranged for
Miss Helen L Billings. now Of Provi-
dence. R. l.. to occupy the bungalow
With her housekeeper.
Mr.. Bryant, who is live wire. In
sisted that the plans must be ad-
vanced to the blueprint stage by Fri
day, even II the architect had to work
overtime. Today he went in to MIL
ford to go over them, and tonight he
was back in town. and then out again.
Mr.. Bryant Is the agent for Theodore
Williams. now Of San Francisco. and
Mr.. Williams gift-which will either
be by deed outright or else by a life
lease-to Miss Billings. is the sequel
to romance Of more ,thap 50 years
ago.
The romance has. no love interest.
but the neighborliness Of Down East
people, a warm-heartedness that dwelt
inside the crust of reticence charac-
teristic Of New Englanders. simple
story Of kindliness that has never. in
half a century, looked even for recog-
milton.
Tale Dates Back Half Century.
More than so years ago, in Oakland.
Me-. little village just outside Wa
terville. there was an orphan boy
named Theodore Williams. In the
town Of Waterville, just beginning to
become prominent. lived George W.
Bryant. He gave the little boy his
first job, and never since those days
has Theodore Williams lost touch with
him.
In the town also dwelt a family
named Billings. There were five or six
that frugal community each went to
work as early as he or she was able to
earn anything.
Two of the sisters, Helen Louetta
and younger sister. went into the
local tailor shop. A third sister mar
ried Cutler Wilson of Midway. Mass.
whom she met in the massachusetts,
town. She has since died, as has the
second sister. The only survivor Of
that generation is Helen E. Billings.
Helen and her second sister became
interested in Theodore Williams. He
seems to have been younger than eth
er of them. and there is not the slight
est ground for the superstition that
there was a love story involved.
Just how or why the two Billings
girls began to help young Williams is
buried in the reticence OF the New
Englander. the most difficult crust
in the world through which to break.
But help him they did
Repays Old Friends for Aid.
The wages of seamstresses a gem
Grafton ago were not large. But these
two girls managed TO help young Will
liams to study: by their aid he went
through college and then struck out
into the world on his own account
He had many adventures. but he
made they all pay. He was in the
West, in the South: he accumulated
money fast and made it earn more.
/ In the end he was reputed to be a
4cNdS IC 40 SaId ~ Wv
a home on Riverside Drive. New York,
and another one in California.
Through all the years he kept in
| touch with Mr.. Bryant. And always,
as the developments of the last few
months have shown. he kept a lively
memory and gratitude for the benefits
received in his boyhood.
Williams headth broke down and he
went to California to live. And then
he began to repay. as far as he could.
the friendships shown to him many
years ago.
He instructed Mr.. Bryant, as his
agent, to search out his benefactresses
and to see whether anything could be
done to make them happy.
1t happened that Miss Billings had
just decided to move from Providence
| to Midway. where her sisters husband
lives. Cutler Wilson offered to take
her into his own home, but she pre-
ferred her independence
Wilson Objects to Outright Gift.
She is a paralytic and wanted just
| three or four rooms in quiet country
town. She owned her home in Provi-
dence and had arranged to sell it. With
TIC pIOCccuS ana ner OtleT property
she had enough to last her." in the
homely country phrase.
George W. Bryant, following his in
structions from Mr.. Williams, found
first Miss Billings in Providence. Fol-
lowing her wishes, he set out for Med
way. bought the land needed for her
home and set about having 1t built.
| Then, as a climax to this story of
generosity. came the advice Of Cutler
Wilson. He, as owner Of the land. sold
lot to Mr.. Bryant for his sister-in-
laws home. The original proposition
was to give the house and land to Miss
Billings outright.
Il don't think that's right" said Mr..
Wilson. rich or poor, a man should
be justly death with. Pm the only
relative Miss Billings has. and il she
owned the place and died, it would
come to me. II Mr.. Williams gave her
a lease for life, it would go back to his
estate when she is done with It,"
The pride Of Justice, the sensibility
to goodwill and the activity Of Mr..
Bryant backing the gratitude Of Mr..
Williams. all make up a charming New
England pastoral.
All these people are old; Mr.. Wilson