Today's story - “Paid in full with one glass of milk”. Dr Howard Kelly – a true life story

Read this story and told it to my students, and felt I should also share with you.

T his is a story about a poor boy, named Howard who used to
sell goods from door to door to pay his way through school. One
day he was hungry and decided that 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 glass
of water. She thought he looked hungry, 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
and added.

“Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He
said… “Then I thank you from my heart.” As Howard left that
house, the act of kindness made him feel stronger physically. He
had been ready to give up and quit. Now his faith in God and
man had further strengthened. He grew up to become a doctor.

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 the 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 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. After a long struggle, the battle was
finally won. Dr Kelly requested the accounts office to pass the
final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, and then wrote
something on the corner 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”.

Dr Howard Kelly was a distinguished Gynecologist who, in 1895,
founded the Gynaecologic Oncology division at Johns Hopkins
University . He was one of the four great men who made Johns
Hopkins famous. He devised the Kelly’s clamp, Kelly’s stitch for
incontinence, Kelly’s red rubber pad for labour patients &
medical illustrations etc.