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.
Year's 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 is shed
abroad through human hearts and hands.
