UNOSTENTATIOUS CHARITY.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 157, 11 October 1876, Page 2

UNOSTENTATIOUS CHARITY.

In his “ Reminiscences of the Stage,” published in +he Saturday Advertiser, Mr. G. W. Collier relates the following:—An act of genuine charity came under my notice, in Melbourne, during tbe time the late Mr, James Simmonds held the reins of management in Melbourne. An Irishman, a working band at tbe Haymarket Theatre, was through family sickness and trouble, reduced to the very doors of starvation. A subscription list was sent round to the company; and every one connected with the theatre gave his or her mite, with the exception of Mr. Charles Kean; he resolutely refused to put Ms name down for a single penny piece. Being acquainted with the unfortunate, I visited him after the performance in the evening, to inform him that over £2O had been collected to alleviate his distress. “ Arrah ! God’s blessing on yis all,” he said. “Its not for myself I care, but for these poor dying children; and Heaven help me, but I’m afraid its more from the want of food than anything else.” I felt hurt that Mr. Kean had not lent a helping band, and was about to speak to Mick on the subject when a knock was heard at the door. ‘ Who’s there ?’ and Charles Kean was heard to say from the outside, ‘does Mr. So-and-so, live here ?’ ‘Ah ! that’s me,’ said Mick, as he opened the door. ‘You arc in trouble I believe ?’ said tbe visitor. ‘ I am. that, sir? but God has been good to me this day; they have collected £2O for me.’ ‘ Some of your children are ill,

I believe?’ ‘They are that, sir,’ ‘ Slip# me.them/ I was hidden from his view as he passed into that chamber of misery, with a miserable tallow candle which was guttered and flaming from the wind Which issued from the chinks of that'apology for a habitation. Charles Kean stood over the youngest child } and, while the tears streamed down his cheeks he pressed a sum of money in the father’s hand ; and then with difficulty restraining his sobs, hurried from the house. ‘ What is it, Mick?’ ‘ Arrah, who knows/ said he ; ‘ look for yourself/ I took the money from his hands—it was a donation of £SO; When the old man heard the news he fairly wept With delight, a lid in the fulness of his heart cried, ‘ May God be so good to yoil as you haVc been to me this night.’ Charles Kean has gone to his long home; but simple acts of unostentatious charity such as described here must hate brightened. his last moments, and made death almost welcome.