The Thankless Office

by T.S. Arthur

　　

---

"An object of real charity," said Andrew Lyon to his wife, as a poorwoman withdrew from the room in which they were seated."If ever there was a worthy object, she is one," returned Mrs. Lyon."A widow, with health so feeble that even ordinary exertion is toomuch for her; yet obliged to support, with the labor of her ownhands, not only herself, but three young children. I do not wonderthat she is behind with her rent.""Nor I," said Mr. Lyon in a voice of sympathy. "How much did she saywas due to her landlord?""Ten dollars.""She will not be able to pay it.""I fear not. How can she? I give her all my extra sewing, and haveobtained work for her from several ladies; but, with her bestefforts she can barely obtain food and decent clothing for herselfand babes.""Does it not seem hard," remarked Mr. Lyon, "that one like Mrs.Arnold, who is so earnest in her efforts to take care of herself andfamily, should not receive a helping hand from some one of the manywho could help her without feeling the effort? If I didn't find itso hard to make both ends meet, I would pay off her arrears of rentfor her, and feel happy in so doing.""Ah!" exclaimed the kind-hearted wife, "how much I wish that we wereable to do this. But we are not.""I'll tell you what we can do," said Mr. Lyon, in a cheerfulvoice--"or, rather what I can do. It will be a very light matterfor, say ten persons, to give a dollar a-piece, in order to relieveMrs. Arnold from her present trouble. There are plenty who wouldcheerfully contribute for this good purpose; all that is wanted issome one to take upon himself the business of making thecollections. That task shall be mine.""How glad, James, to hear you say so," smilingly replied Mrs. Lyon."Oh! what a relief it will be to poor Mrs. Arnold. It will make herheart as light as a feather. That rent has troubled her sadly. OldLinks, her landlord, has been worrying her about it a good deal,and, only a week ago, threatened to put her things in the street ifshe didn't pay up.""I should have thought of this before," remarked Andrew Lyon. "Thereare hundreds of people who are willing enough to give if they wereonly certain in regard to the object. Here is one worthy enough inevery way. Be it my business to present her claims to benevolentconsideration. Let me see. To whom shall I go? There are Jones, andGreen, and Tompkins. I can get a dollar from each of them. That willbe three dollars--and one from myself, will make four. Who else isthere? Oh! Malcolm! I'm sure of a dollar from him; and, also, fromSmith, Todd, and Perry."Confident in the success of his benevolent scheme, Mr. Lyon startedforth, early on the very next day, for the purpose of obtaining, bysubscription, the poor widow's rent. The first person he called onwas Malcolm."Ah, friend Lyon," said Malcolm, smiling blandly. "Good morning!What can I do for you to-day?""Nothing for me, but something for a poor widow, who is behind withher rent," replied Andrew Lyon. "I want just one dollar from you,and as much more from some eight or nine as benevolent as yourself."At the words "poor widow," the countenance of Malcolm fell, and whenhis visiter ceased, he replied in a changed and husky voice,clearing his throat two or three times as he spoke,"Are you sure she is deserving, Mr. Lyon?" The man's manner hadbecome exceedingly grave."None more so," was the prompt answer. "She is in poor health, andhas three children to support with the product of her needle. If anyone needs assistance it is Mrs. Arnold.""Oh! ah! The widow of Jacob Arnold.""The same," replied Andrew Lyon.Malcolm's face did not brighten with a feeling of heart-warmbenevolence. But, he turned slowly away, and opening hismoney-drawer, very slowly, toyed with his fingers amid itscontents. At length he took therefrom a dollar bill, and said, as hepresented it to Lyon,--sighing involuntarily as he did so--"I suppose I must do my part. But, we are called upon so often."The ardor of Andrew Lyon's benevolent feelings suddenly cooled atthis unexpected reception. He had entered upon his work under theglow of a pure enthusiasm; anticipating a hearty response the momenthis errand was made known."I thank you in the widow's name," said he, as he took the dollar.When he turned from Mr. Malcolm's store, it was with a pressure onhis feelings, as if he had asked the coldly-given favor for himself.It was not without an effort that Lyon compelled himself to callupon Mr. Green, considered the "next best man" on his list. But heentered his place of business with far less confidence than he hadfelt when calling upon Malcolm. His story told, Green without a wordor smile, drew two half dollars from his pocket, and presented them."Thank you," said Lyon."Welcome," returned Green.Oppressed with a feeling of embarrassment, Lyon stood for a fewmoments. Then bowing, he said--"Good morning.""Good morning," was coldly and formally responded.And thus the alms-seeker and alms-giver parted."Better be at his shop, attending to his work," muttered Green tohimself, as his visitor retired. "Men ain't very apt to get alongtoo well in the world who spend their time in begging for everyobject of charity that happens to turn up. And there are plenty ofsuch, dear knows. He's got a dollar out of me; may it do him, or thepoor widow he talked so glibly about, much good."Cold water had been poured upon the feelings of Andrew Lyon. He hadraised two dollars for the poor widow, but, at what a sacrifice forone so sensitive as himself. Instead of keeping on in his work ofbenevolence, he went to his shop, and entered upon the day'semployment. How disappointed he felt;--and this disappointment wasmingled with a certain sense of humiliation, as if he had beenasking alms for himself."Catch me at this work again!" he said, half aloud, as his thoughtsdwelt upon what had so recently occurred. "But this is not right,"he added, quickly. "It is a weakness in me to feel so. Poor Mrs.Arnold must be relieved; and it is my duty to see that she getsrelief. I had no thought of a reception like this. People can talkof benevolence; but putting the hand in the pocket is another affairaltogether. I never dreamed that such men as Malcolm and Green couldbe insensible to an appeal like the one I made.""I've got two dollars towards paying Mrs. Arnold's rent," he said tohimself, in a more cheerful tone, sometime afterwards; "and it willgo hard if I don't raise the whole amount for her. All are not likeGreen and Malcolm. Jones is a kind-hearted man, and will instantlyrespond to the call of humanity. I'll go and see him."So, off Andrew Lyon started to see this individual."I've come begging, Mr. Jones," said he, on meeting him. And hespoke in a frank, pleasant manner."Then you've come to the wrong shop; that's all I have to say," wasthe blunt answer."Don't say that, Mr. Jones. Hear my story, first.""I do say it, and I'm in earnest," returned Jones. "I feel as pooras Job's turkey, to-day.""I only want a dollar to help a poor widow pay her rent," said Lyon."Oh, hang all the poor widows! If that's your game, you'll getnothing here. I've got my hands full to pay my own rent. A nice timeI'd have in handing out a dollar to every poor widow in town to helppay her rent! No, no, my friend, you can't get anything here.""Just as you feel about it," said Andrew Lyon. "There's nocompulsion in the matter.""No, I presume not," was rather coldly replied.Lyon returned to his shop, still more disheartened than before. Hehad undertaken a thankless office.Nearly two hours elapsed before his resolution to persevere in thegood work he had begun came back with sufficient force to prompt toanother effort. Then he dropped in upon his neighbor Tompkins, towhom he made known his errand."Why, yes, I suppose I must do something in a case like this," saidTompkins, with the tone and air of a man who was cornered. "But,there are so many calls for charity, that we are naturally enoughled to hold on pretty tightly to our purse strings. Poor woman! Ifeel sorry for her. How much do you want?""I am trying to get ten persons, including myself, to give a dollareach.""Well, here's my dollar." And Tompkins forced a smile to his face ashe handed over his contribution--but the smile did not conceal anexpression which said very plainly--"I hope you will not trouble me again in this way.""You may be sure I will not," muttered Lyon, as he went away. Hefully understood the meaning of the expression.Only one more application did the kind-hearted man make. It wassuccessful; but, there was something in the manner of the individualwho gave his dollar, that Lyon felt as a rebuke."And so poor Mrs. Arnold did not get the whole of her arrears ofrent paid off," says some one who has felt an interest in her favor.Oh, yes she did. Mr. Lyon begged five dollars, and added five morefrom his own slender purse. But, he cannot be induced again toundertake the thankless office of seeking relief from the benevolentfor a fellow creature in need. He has learned that a great many whorefuse alms on the plea that the object presented is not worthy, arebut little more inclined to charitable deeds, when on this pointthere is no question.How many who read this can sympathise with Andrew Lyon. Few men whohave hearts to feel for others but have been impelled, at some timein their lives, to seek aid for a fellow-creature in need. Thattheir office was a thankless one, they have too soon become aware.Even those who responded to their call most liberally, in too manyinstances gave in a way that left an unpleasant impression behind.How quickly has the first glow of generous feeling, that sought toextend itself to others, that they might share the pleasure ofhumanity, been chilled; and, instead of finding the task an easyone, it has proved to be hard, and, too often, humiliating! Alas,that this should be! That men should shut their hearts soinstinctively at the voice of charity.We have not written this to discourage active efforts in thebenevolent; but to hold up a mirror in which another class may seethemselves. At best, the office of him who seeks of his fellow-menaid for the suffering and indigent, is an unpleasant one. It is allsacrifice on his part, and the least that can be done is to honorhis disinterested regard for others in distress, and treat him withdelicacy and consideration.

---

---