Year: 1869

1t was sleeting fast. Evening was fall
ing. The streets were almost deserted.


Suddenly voice at my elbow said {:
al anf-not ut for work, and have eaten
nothing TO day" 80


| Looked at the speaker. He was an
able bodied man. but had lost both
arms By amputation; he was evidently
a discharged soldier. He was pale, too
as il from recent sickness, or from
scarity food. He had an old thread
bare coat. 80 ~ u --%it


My first impulse was to give him
something. But my coat was buttoEed
tight: could not easily unbutton it,
and continue to hold my umbrella and
Ebook, aud, 20 crown all, the street car,
for which had been waiting, at that
knoment came up.


Il have nothing 10 day,"I said, turn
ing from the man and beckoning to the
driver. -


IheaId q sigh. as I turRedr and was
on the point of reeonsidering my de-
cision, but reflected that if 1 missed
the car should have to wait ten min
utes in the road. Besides" l said to
myself somebody else will be sure to
give him something"


But my heart smote me, when, on
looking after the man, / saw him go
sadly down the street with bent head.
OnceHE thought of stopping the car,
OveTtaking the man, and giving him
half a dollar, but while | hesitated the
1car passed the corner, and he was out of
sight. 1t was too late.


| did not eat my dinner that day
with the usual appetite. 1 could not
get that wan face out of my mind. At
times the victuals seemed to choke me.
What if he really was starving and no
one would help him.


All through the evening the mans
looks haunted me. In vain my little e
daughter, seeing me abstracted, sang
her sweetest ballads in vain my wife
sought TO ''cheer me np," as she said.
i even dreamed of the man. III had
known where to find him, / would have
gone next day to satisfy myself that he
had dreceived assistance.


Z; But the impression gradually wore
off. There is SO much suffering now in
great cities. that almost every one be-
comes hardened to it. [ persuaded my
self finally that the man had been help
ed by others. There are SO many So
cieties to aid soldiers" 1 said. It was
uncomfortable to think otherwise.


One morning, about four days after
the interview, my wife was reading the
paper, when she suddenly laid it down
Eand cried: "How shocking ~


90 not know how it was, but felt
a sudden chill. | thought instantly of
that mans face. But 1 said carelessly
as / broke my egg


what is it, my dear?"


"Ohl such a horrible story. A dis
charged soldier his wife and two chill
dren, dying of starvation. At least the
wife is dead, and one of the children
not expected to live. None have had
anything to eat for four days. They
We're found in an old out house. The
husband is said to have lost both arms
at Gettysburg" -.-r.-


Ny hand trembled SO much, that,
long before my wife finished, I had
been compelled to lay down my egg
unopened. She was looking at the pa
per, and did not see me.


had no appetite after that. / rose
Immediately, and hastened down town
for was sure othat this was the man
whose petition / had rejected.


/ went straight to see him. / had
the paper in my pocket, and it directed
me to the miserable clubhouse, where
the sufferers had been found.


Quite a crowd had been collected on
the outside. But a policeman at the
door permitted no one 10 go in. He
knew me, however, and on my express
ing my wish, allowed me to enter.


A sheet, furnishedby some poor neigh
Dor was spread over still waXen face
in the corner; a little girl was sobbing
beside it, and a man bowed with grief
sat at the foot. At the sound of my
footsteps, he looked up. 1t was the
same wan face / had repelled at the
corner of the street.


Since that day [ have never turned
away from old or young who has asked
aims. Better give TO thousand who
are unworthy, than to refuse one that is
really in need.