The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Philanthropist, by Josephine Daskam

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Title: A Philanthropist

Author: Josephine Daskam

Release Date: November 6, 2007 [EBook #23366]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A PHILANTHROPIST ***

Produced by David Widger

A PHILANTHROPIST

By Josephine Daskam

Copyright, 1903, by Charles Scribner's Sons

"I suspected him from the first," said Miss Gould, with some irritation,
to her lodger. She spoke with irritation because of the amused smile
of the lodger. He bowed with the grace that characterized all his lazy
movements.

"He looked very much like that Tom Waters that I had at the Reformed
Drunkards' League last year. I even thought he was Tom--"

"I do not know Tom?" hazarded the lodger.

"No. I don't know whether I ever mentioned him to you. He came twice to
the League, and we were really quite hopeful about him, and the third
time he asked to have the meeting at his house. We thought it a great
sign--the best of signs, in fact. So as a great favor we went there
instead of meeting at the Rooms. I was a little late--I lost the
way--and when I got there I heard a great noise as if they were singing
different songs at the same time. I hurried in to lead them--they get
so mixed in the singing--and--it makes me blush now to think of it!--the
wretch had invited them all early, and--and they were all intoxicated!

"I am sorry I told you," she added with dignity; for the lodger, in an
endeavor to smile sympathetically, had lost his way and was convulsed
with a mirth entirely unregretful.

"Not at all, not at all," he murmured politely. "It is a delightful
story. I would not have missed it--a choir of reformed drunkards! But do
you not, my dear Miss Gould, perceive in these little setbacks a warning
against further attempts? Do you still attend the League? It is not
possible!"

"Possible?" echoed his visitor; for owing to certain recent and untoward
circumstances, Miss Gould was half reclining in her lodger's great
Indian chair, sipping a glass of his '49 port. "Indeed I do! They
had every one of them to be reformed all over again! It was most
disgrac