Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1883 — A Story of Thaddeus Stevens. [ARTICLE]

A Story of Thaddeus Stevens.

It is related of Thaddeus Stevens that shortly after his removal to- Lancaster he heard of an old friend in York, a lawyer, who, pressed hard by necessity, had diverted to h"is own use S3OO due to a widow client, hoping soon to repay her. But “unmerciful di: a iter followed fast and followed faster,” until the poor fellow’s mental distress was actually killing him. Mr. Stevens hunted up the client, paid her from his own pocket the S3OO, obtained her receipt, and went to see his friend. “Halloa! old fellow, ”he exclaimed on entering his office, “you must wake up. Don’t be so downhearted. Say, don’t you suppose you’ve really gone and paid that woman and then forgotten it?” A despairing shake of the bowed head was the only reply. “Well, I believe you did, and I’m going to look through your papers ant see if I can’t find the receipt. ” Then he pretended to ransack some pigeon holes, and a moment later exclaimed: “Well, if you’re not the biggest fool I ever heard of! Look here, old man! What’s this?” So saying, he showed the receipt to his astonished friend, who thereupon recovered his spirits, and, happily, his fortunes also. .Afterwards he repaid Mr. Stevens, and the latter was- never able to find out how his generosity had been detected.— Philadelphia Press.