The Washington times., 1918-10-18

prone to say as the doubt
~ ing Thomas did Of the
giraffe: There amt no such ami
NAL"
Most of us cherish certain rank
ling memories of benefits forgot
of loans made in an hour Of
stress or need which have never
been repaid, Of sacrifices which
seem utterly unappreciated, Of
good which has actually been re-
Quilted by evil.
The truth appears to be that
gratitude is a very peculiar bird
Il trust am not hopelessly mix
ing my metaphors-you encount-
er it only when you are not look
ing for or expecting it. Seek it,
and it vanishes. Demand it, and
ingratitude appears in its place to
attack you with beak and claw.
Two experiences out Of the
career Of. a woman Of whom /
happened to hear the other day
serve aptly as an illustration.
A Girls Way.
As a child, when she was about
ten or eleven years old, say, she
lived within a short distance Of a
solitary old man who was known
throughout the neighborhood as
an embittered recluse. He had
quarreled with all his relatives,
he had no friends or associates,
and since his sole interest and oc-
cupation in life was reading he
was indeed in a pitiable case
when his sight finally began to
fail him.
His affliction coming to be
known aroused a good deal Of
sympathy for him, but he had so
persistently rebuffed any advances
that people felt a little charry
about offering their services. The
little girl heard the matter dis
cussed among her parents and
the older persons, and decided
that 1t was up to her to do some
thing. She wa sno especial Poll
lyanna, but she could read pretty
well except for an occasional big
word, and she felt sorry for the
old man.
She never dreamed Of any reward
or benefit for herself from the
action. 1t was pure philanthropy
on her part Indeed she felt CRATE
ful when she timidly presented
herself and made her offer, that
the grabbed old fellow didn't blow
her head OF her shoulders. Per-
haps he recognized the genuine
quality Of her childish sympathy;
possibly he was so desperate over
his loneliness and approaching
blindness that he would have well
coined any conpanionship. At any
rate he agreed to let her come and
read to him.
The Reward.
Then the old man died. He had
a little property, and the relatives
he had held a arms length during
his lifetime gathered quickly to d.
vide the spoils. But probably be-
cause he was such a confirmed
bookworm the old man had done
the conventional stunt Of fiction,
and in an old trunk in his attic was
found q will leaving everything he
possessed to tie little girl.
The little girl grew up and in
time entered upon the profession
of a nurse. During the last year
of her training course a patient
was brought into the hospital to
which she was attached, a home
less vagabond so surly, cross
grained, and abusive that outside
of mere routine attention every one
about the place was well satisfied
to leave him to himself. But not
the little girl who had gone to the
rescue of the old recluse.
With that same prochvity for
helping the friendless dog chiefly
because he was friendless and
maybe a bit savage, she lavished
on that unregenerate hobo her
warmest smiles and most devoted
ministration. She "mothered" him
to the limit, and, although at first
she got nothing but snarls and
suspicion for her efforts, the time
came at last when she penetrated
the mans gruff shell.
81 never thought no man or
woman could get me, nurse" he
muttered one morning as he caught