MUSCULAR CHARITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7678, 30 January 1904, Page 5

MUSCULAR CHARITY.

The kindness and pluck of Bessie Bellwood, a once prominent music-hall artiste, are illustrated in the following true story : —A woman, with a husband out of work and eight young children, had applied to her for aid for her entirely, destitute family. Bessie relieved their most pressing wants, and having then, through her maid, tested the accuracy of the statements made, drove to the miserable lodgings, prepared to render further substantial assistance. As she entered the room she found the children eagerly gazing at a repast such as they had not seen for weeks; but the mother was in tears, and the father sat sullenly silent in a corner. Bessie, in her usual direct manner, inquired the reason for this strange scene, when it appeared that, owing to some fancied slight from the wifo, the husband —a great hulking brute—declined to permit anyone, excepting himself, to eat the food they bad been so long without. Then Bessie proceeded to act. Before the man knew " where he was," he realised that his head was being banged against the mantel-piece in a very forcible manner. After about five minutes " liveliness " he managed to ejaculute a few questioning words as to what it all meant. "It means," says tho visitor, " that if you don't go and tell her you're sorry, and sit down at once and see that your wife and young 'uns have a nice happy pleasant, quiet dinner, I'll give you the biggest hiding you ever had in your life." The man hesitated, but finding himself minus two teeth and the sight of one eyej decided on obedience, and with Bessie "on guard " the meal was finished. "If he ever carries on like that again," the artiste said as she walked out,, "just send for me." Whether it was that the man realised she would be as good as her word, or that the thrashing he had received had broken his spirit, certain it is that, to the day of her death, it remained one of Bessie's proudest boasts that his wife testified to his never again acting in any way unkindly to her. Truly a result to be proud of.— V.C.