Kindness

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way
through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.  He 
decided he would ask for a meal at the next house.  However, he lost his nerve 
when a lovely young woman opened the door.  Instead of a meal he asked for 
a drink of water.  She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass
of milk.  He drank it slowly, and then asked,  "How much do I owe you?" 
"You don't owe me anything," she replied.  "Mother has taught us never to
accept pay for a kindness."  He said.....  "Then I thank you from my heart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his
faith in God and man was strong also.  He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were
baffled.  They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in
specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation.  When he heard the
name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately 
he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.  Dressed in his 
doctor's gown he went in to see her.  He recognized her at once.  He went
back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. 
From that day he gave special attention to the case.  After a long struggle,
the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for
approval.  He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill
was sent to her room.  She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take
the rest of her life to pay for it all.  Finally she looked, and something
caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words....."Paid
in full with one glass of milk".   (Signed)  Dr.Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed:  "Thank You, God,
that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

Special Note:  Doctor Kelly was a world famous cardiologist at 
Johns Hopkins Hospital who (along with Dr. Helen Taussig) developed 
and perfected the blue baby surgery to save millions of children born 
with this birth defect (a hole in their hearts).
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