The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-05-22


Just out Of Chicago. The great man was
swelling with emotions called up from the
dark shadows of the past; his big rough
frame heaved like great billow upon the
ocean. Tears sprang to his deep set and
earnest cyes-they welled up to the brim-
and swan round asking to be let fall NJ trib-
utes to his mothers memory---tributes to
the love Of the past. But he choked them
down, and humming q snatch OF an old bal
lad, he thrust his hands down into his peck
cts, walked back to the end OF the car,
pulled the gigantic collar Of his shaggy coat
up around his ears, and leaned back in 81
lence.
The cars ratified ON. What mind was
there; what giant intellect, sleeping, bur-
led away from light and usefulness by rub
bish of prejudice, habit and custom---doing
but half work for want of culture.
"a mute inglorious Milton" or rather
Webster, going about the world struggling
with his own soul, yet bound by the chains
of ignorance, which always precluded his do
ing but moiety of the good it lay in his
power TO do.
All the way on our tedious journey he had
been ever on the witch to do good. He gave
up his seat by the FIRE to an Irish woman and
her child, and took one farther back soon
young girl seated herself by his side; a. the
night hours wore on, and she nodded weari-
ly, he rose, spread his beautiful leopsrd skin
with it's soft, rich lining, on the seat, made
apillow Of his carpet-bag, and insisted that
she should lie down and sleep.
"And what will you do ?" asked she naive
ly.
"Never mind me---I can stand up aud
sleep like buffalo; Pm used to it. THAr's
500
A little boy, pulled up from a sonnd nap
to give place to incomers, was paciGed and
made happy BY handful Of chestnuts and q
glowing Bit Of candy out OF the big mans
pocket. When he left the cars for refresh
ments he brought back his hands full Of pies
and distributed them among the weary pas
sengers.
A mother and seven little children, tho
eldest not twelve years old, whose husband
and father left the cars at every stopping
place, and returned more stupid and beastly
each time, scolding the little tired restless
ones with thick tongue, and glaring his fu-
rious red eyes upon the poor grieved victim
OF wife, like tiger upon his prey, "be-
cause she did not keep her young ones still !;
they would disturb everybody" No bite Of
refreshment, no exhilarating draught, no
rest from that fat, cross baby, came to her
all the long night, save when the big man
stretched out his great hands and took her
baby boy for an hour, and let him play with
his watch to keep him quiet.
"Pll give yer q thousand dollars for him."
said he, as be handed him back to her arms.
"You may have the whole lot for that, !"
answered the drunken father with . swine
like grunt.
"lps a bargain" said the big man, ''pro-
vidin, the mot hers Willinpv
"indade, sir, its not the one Of them can
be had for money!" was the4uiet get deter
mined response Of the mothers heart.
How kindly he helped her OF the cars
when, at the break Of day, they came to their
journeys end.
Thus oil night had he been attracting the
J attention Of the waking ones in the oars
! But his kindness ard rough politeness would
soon have been forgotten by the mass Of the
passengers, had he not stamped it upon our
, memories with his gold.
81 wonder who he u.s." and swhere did be
get in" "What an interesting character"
Education would spoil him. "What
rich furs." "Did you notice what o splen-
! did watch he earliest" He's some great
man incog."
Such were few Of the queries that pass
ed from lip to lip. But there came no an
swer; for he, who alone could have answered,
sat crouched in his fur coat, seeming uucon-
scious Of nll but his own deep thoughts.
"Chicago" shouted the breakman, and 10
an instant all was confusion, and our hero
was lost in the crowd. The next We saw of
, him was at the baggage stand, looking up "a
handbook for sweet looking country girl,
, who was going to learn the milliner's trade
, in the city. As We passed to our carriage,
we discovered him again, holding an old man
. by the hand, while he grasped the shoulder
Of the conductor of another train with the
| other, getting for the deaf, gray haired sire
the right Information as to the route he
should take to get to ''his darter, who lived
, near Muscatine, Iowa."
"God bless him for his good deeds % was
, our earnest aspiration, ~ We whirlsd around
the corner. May his shadow never grow
; ; less, or the gold in his pocket diminish, for
! in his unnumbered charities and mercies
dropped 50 unostentatiously here and there,
he is perhaps, doing more good in this day
, and generation, than he who donates his
|, thousands to build charitable institutions, to
give honor to his own ime.
, Oh how much tho world needs great hearts
that are able to comprehend little things
and yet how often it happens that the learned,
the wise, and the rich, outgrow the every day
! wants Of humanity, and feeling within them
solver the power to move mightily-psss by
the humble duties that would make thous-
) and hearts leap for joy--and push on, look
ing for some wrong to right, some great sor-
row to be soothed, some giant work to be
accomplished; and failing to find the great
Uork, live and die, incarcerated in their self.
, ishness, and do nothing at all.
This rough mans nature seemed the ma
ture Of the little child. His quick eye saw at
a glance; his great heart warmed, and his
great hand exc. uted his little works Of char
ity--so small that one would have expected
TO see them slip between his giant fingers nn-
accompiished-ye were they done. The
"angel over the right shoulder" will have .
longer column to set down to his account Of
deeds well done, than ali the rest Of the pass-
engers Of that crowded car, on that long, te-
dious, stormy night, in January, 1856.
Kansas ntsns.
The Herald Of Freedom, OF the 9th, con-