"My dear madam," cried Blanche, one day, "do listen to a poor woman in the hall, who is telling such a mournful story!"—"And she begs you to read this paper," added Kate, running in with a dirty crumpled letter in her hand. The kind lady read the paper, and heard the woman's story: then said, "Poor creature! your state seems very wretched, I will inquire about you, and come and see you, and try to serve you." The stranger begged hard for present relief, but the lady said she made a rule never to give aid until she knew the facts of the case. It was some time before the woman would give an address; at last she did so, and went away.
"Dear Aunt, why did not you give the poor thing some money?"—"Because I was not sure money was the best thing I could give her; by seeing her, I shall best know how to serve her."—"But just one shilling?"—"I can afford to give that, I own, and it would have saved me trouble; but it is my duty to do the most good in my power, and that can only be done by going to the scene of woe."
In the course of the day, (for we ought not to defer a duty) the three went to inquire about the poor woman; she had called herself a widow, with five children starving in an old barn; no such place was to be found. By accident, she was seen standing at the door of the inn; and though she tried to hide herself, the Aunt found her out; what was the surprise of the girls to see the feigned beggar in good clothes, in a good room, and with a table on which were tea things, a loaf, and butter, and white sugar. The Aunt waited to hear the meaning of all this, and the woman began a speech; but as it was plain she did not speak the truth, the Aunt shook her head, told her to give up her wicked course, and left her.
"My dear girls," said the good Aunt, "this woman's cunning is a proof that all who beg do not deserve, or require relief. But as there is much real distress in the world, those who truly desire to relieve it must not fail to visit the scenes of sorrow named to them, that so they may serve the unfortunate and detect the guilty."
THE TRUE BEGGAR.
"Another tale of woe, Aunt,"—cried Kate, a few weeks after the visit to the false beggar. "But I suppose, this also is not true, and therefore you will not give any help."—"My dear Kate, all persons claim our belief till we have proved their falsehood. This may be true, though the other was false; never let us decide till we have found out the real truth, which can only be done by going to the spot."
The woman named the cot in which she lived; it was far distant, but nothing can be done without trouble, and our three friends set out for the distant dwelling. The day was stormy and the road dirty; but, in the work of pity, who would be stopped by such evils! Besides, the badness of the weather was the very reason why want and sickness most needed succour.
It was after much trouble and many mistakes, that the cottage was found, and Blanche was fearing this also was a fraud; but when they did enter the hovel, how glad were they that they had not given up the search: it was all true. The sick husband was trying to warm himself by a small fire; two little children, with no clothing but a ragged shirt each, were on the floor, thin and pale from hunger; the woman had a baby in her arms, crying for food.—Blanche and Kate shed some tears, for their hearts were full; but, drying them quickly, they thought it was better to act than to weep. The kind Aunt calmly thought over all that was best to be done, and then set about it. She got food for the children and their mother, and wine and physic for the poor father. Then they all went to work, and made clothes for the naked little ones. It was more than a week before all they wished could be done; but it was done. Those who were ready to perish were fed, and cured, and clothed.
"Now you see, my dears, how right it is to visit the cases of distress, of which you hear; some are true. By seeing them with our own eyes, we know what is most wanted. It is seldom wise to give money to the poor; they don't know how to make the best of it; and by not giving to all, we have more to give to a few."