South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-21
BY Irene Weston.


A friend of mine-a man who would
not for the world hurt anybody's feel
ings, and who would readily walk a
mile to do anyone a good turn-was
placed in a very awkward situation
the other day. He had been asked
out to dinner with some friends who
live in a little suburban house, where
the hard times had made a consider
able difference in domestic economy.
The lady of the house does the cook
ing now that her husbands income
has shrunk. My friend was warned
he might have to put up with
things" However, the three of them
the lady, her husband, and my
friend-got on quite well till the po-
tatoes came upon the table
Hard as bricks" my friend groaned
! 70 me. by jove. when 1 tried to
stick my fork into the COMPOUNDED
thing it rolled about the plate like a
marble, and Mrs. c. you know
what a sweet creature she is?-nOticed
it, and asked me if it wasn't quite
right. What would you have done D?
| knew she, poor woman. had cooked
'em. So l said l hadn't the slightest
doubt the potato was excellent.
Then L made another dab at it, No
go. Then Mrs. @. bOlted to the kitch-
en- to see something she had forgot
door, G.. went to interview the caller.
/ 1t seemed to give me just the oppor-
tunity / wanted. l grabbed the pO-
tatO. wrapped il up, in a letter 1 had
in my pocket, and stuck ii away in my
pocket I'd pretended I'd eaten it..
Good, Everything went we'll till
about an hour later, when the wretch
cd man was suddenly seized with a
! Fearful sneeze. and hurriedly pulling
I L 4 III H.
with il the potato-which he had for
| gotten-and dropped 1t upon the
drawing-room floor before the aston
| ished gaze of Mr. and Mrs. G.. He
tells me he never felt SO horrible be-
/ fore" He's convinced that they mag
! ined he wanted to take that potato
| home with him.
1t was hard luck. studying feelings
| like that and then falling so disas-
I trOusly. Haven't you noticed your
Hest actions that seem to come off
best?' An accident like that some
times leads to the action being miscon-
strued. Sometimes the recipient of
the kindly deed proves unworthy of
| it. It's disheartening. Still, one must
| persevere. Never did we need more
kindness in the world than now.
hluullnGSS never ldlleO -NGl-dnu
never will do so. however its triumph
may be disguised from us" declared
| Charles Kingsley: 81 will bear fruit
sOmehOw-either i'm the recipient or
in the practiser of it. But some peo-
pie are strangely eloquent on it's fail
ure."
They are. Dean Hole knew a man
who. though he was the richest man
in the district, was remarkably mean.
/ Hole tried to awaken him to some
generosity, and failed ANONYMOUSLY
for a long time. Then at last the
obdurate one actually ventured on an
! experiment in charity. Hearing a tap
at his front door one day he went to
| interview the caller2 A beggar, He
was in the middle OF his directions as
10 the shortest cut to the nearest
workhOuse. when he stopped. He sud
denly remembered half a loaf of bread
which had grown too hard for him to
eat. Trotting off. he brought it and
| presented il TO the man at the door.
! He used to declare ever after that
charity was wasted on the poor. Give
/ 'em bread and they throw it away"