DONT DESPAIR

SITTING BY THE WINDOW OF HER CONVENT,

SISTER BARBARA OPENED A LETTER

FROM HOME ONE EVENING.

INSIDE THE LETTER WAS A

$100 BILL HER PARENTS HAD SENT.

SISTER BARBARA SMILED AT THE GESTURE.

AS SHE READ THE LETTER BY THE WINDOW,

SHE NOTICED A SHABBILY DRESSED

STRANGER LEANING AGAINST

THE LAMP POST BELOW.

QUICKLY, SHE WROTE,

"DON'T DESPAIR. SISTER BARBARA,"

ON A PIECE OF PAPER,

WRAPPED THE $100 BILL IN IT,

GOT THE MAN'S ATTENTION AND TOSSED

IT OUT THE WINDOW TO HIM.

THE STRANGER PICKED IT UP

AND WITH A PUZZLED EXPRESSION

AND A TIP OF HIS HAT,

WENT OFF DOWN THE STREET.

THE NEXT DAY, SISTER BARBARA WAS

TOLD THAT A MAN WAS AT HER DOOR,

INSISTING ON SEEING HER.

SHE WENT DOWN, AND FOUND

THE STRANGER WAITING.

WITHOUT A WORD,

HE HANDED HER A HUGE WAD OF $100 BILLS.

"WHAT'S THIS?" SHE ASKED.

"THAT'S THE $8,000 YOU HAVE COMING SISTER

," HE REPLIED.

"DON'T DESPAIR PAID 80-TO-1."