Paid In Full With One Glass of Milk

--by brighteyes, posted Jul 27, 2007

"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 and so she 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 strengthened 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, he 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 from the business office to pass the final billing 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."

11.8K Reads

Posted by brighteyes
Jul 27, 2007
Comments (52)

Readers Comments

AURELIA wrote: Awesome!Goodness comes back to Goodness. ~Aurelia

afriendlysmile wrote: Hi brighteyes
Great story shows how an act of kindness can keep on snowballing.
Love and smiles
afriendlysmile:)

MakeSomeoneSmile wrote: I love that story and believe it to be true. You never know when it will come back to you!

Angel4eva wrote: thats a wonderful story

denim1951 wrote: There are some people in this world that care for others in a lot of ways. I was fighting cancer in 1998 and was having trouble paying for medicine i needed very much. I had a quardian angel who paid for some of the medicines I needed and I have never found out who it was. But I have always been grateful from the bottom of my heart. So once in awhile when I am able I help others with their medicines at the pharmacy. I know it is a blessing to me and also to the person who needs that medicine to get well again.

hilde wrote: Goodness creates goodness
I always knew it !!

smittyswife wrote: Your story is wonderful, it's nice to know that some people never forget the little things in life.

AlbanyKate wrote: This is an amazing story, I got all misty eyed!

upwiththesun wrote: What a beautiful story and a reminder that the smallest kindness to a stranger might be entertaining angels!

jan2008 wrote: Such beautiful and moving touching story. You never know from your kind acts that they may one day lead back to you.
Thank you for sharing this great story.

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