The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-08-05

restiess ohes Win .iiich tongue, ana gar
ing his furious red eyes upon the poor
grieved victim of wife, like tigar up
on its pray, ''because she did not keep the
young ones still, "''t they would disturb
every body" No bite of refreshment, no
celebrating draught, no rest from that
fat, cross baby, came to her all the night
long, save when the big man stretched
out his great hands and took her boy for
an hour and let him play with his splen-
ded hunter watch to keep him quiet.
"I'n give yer thousand dollars for
him." said he, as he handed him back to
her arms.
"You may have the whole lot for that
answered the drunken father with swine
like grunt.
Its bargain" said the big man,
''providin' the mothers willing"
"Indade, sir, its not the one of them
can be had for money" was the quiet yet
determined response of the mothers
heart.
How kindly he helped her off the cars
when, at the break Of day, they came to
their journeys end.
Thus all night long had he been at
tracing the attention of the waking ones
in the cars. But his kindness and rough
politeness would soon have been forgot
ten by the mass of the passengers, had he
not stamped it upon our memories with
his gold.
II wonder who he is" and "where did
he get on" What an interesting char
acter." "IIe's nobody's fool - knows
more than he let's on" Education would
spoil him." "What rich frrs." odd
you notice what a splendid watch he car
ries?" 'Hes some great man incog.'
Such were few of the queries that
passed from lip to lip. But there came
no answer; for he, who alone could have
answered, sat crouched in fur coat, SEEM
ing unconcious of all but his own deep
thoughts.
"Chicago," shouted the brakeman, and
in All 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 band box for sweet look
ing country girl, who was going to learn
the milliners trade in the city. As we
passed to our carriage, we discovered him
again, holding an old man by one hand,
while he grasped the shoulder of the con
doctor 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 shis darter, who lived near
Muscatine, Iowa."
"God bless him for bis good deeds. p
was our earnest aspiration, as we whirled
round the corner. May his shadow new
er grow less, or the gold in his pocket
diminish, for his unnumbered charities
and mercies dropped so unostentstiously
here and there he is, perhaps, doing more
good in his day of generation, than he
who donates his thousands to build instl-
buttons to give honor to his own name.
Oh, how much the world needs great
hearts that are able to comprehend little
things-and vet how often it happens
that the learned, the wise, and the rich,
outgrow the every day wants of humanity
and feeling within themselves the power
to move mightily-pass by the humble
duties that would makea thousand hearts
leap for joy, and push on, looking for
some great wrong to right, some great sor-
row to be soothed, some giant work to be
accomplished; and failing to find the
GREAT WORK, live and die, incarcerated
in their own selfshness, and do nothing
at all,
This rough mans nature seemed the
nature of little child. His quick eye
saw at glance; his great heart warmed,
and his great hand executed his little
works of charity-so small that one
would have expected to see them slip
yet were they done. The "angel over the
right shoulder" will have a longer column
to set down to his account of good deeds
well DONE than to ali the rest of the pas
sengers of that crowded car, on that long,
tedious stormy night, in January, 1856.
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