Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-10-26
firtsiht SlsSing.
An ruCidsnt-TOld as it Occurred.

.N AA AANAAS1@ |
4aIaye you anything for a poor blind
man, ladies and gcntlemcn?-anything for
a blind MANI | turned round and bcheld
the disfgured face Of the speaker, as he
made his way through the cars under the
Guidance OF a lad of ten or eleven summers
There were great red gashes where his
oyes should have been, and the lower part
ofhis face was scanned with frightful scars.
His clothes were mean and in %tatters; bat
some kind hand had smoothed down the
struggling hair, and laid his clean linen
collar over his neck-tie neatly.
II was impossible TO look upon that face
without. experiencing a feeling Of genuine
pity. One gentleman placed a piece Of
silver in his hand, then another, and anoth-
or, until he stood opposite me, when a mid
dle-aged farmer, dressed in plain homespun,
deposited a large piece of silver in the
blind mans hand. / looked across at the
farmer as | contributed my offering to the
sightlcss supplicaut for charity, thinking
how | had been deceived in imagining him
"a close, cautious, calculating man of the
world, for | had been observing him from
the moment | entered the car, and / knew
that he gave the money with his whole
heart, for there could be no installing the
look that accompanied it.
-s.That man ought to be at home, instead
OF begging here" said a well-dressed man
who occupied a front seat.
Yves" added another passenger. "Ht
ought either TO be in a benevolent institu
ton, or at home. The people hercabout
should keep their own poor"
All. L.. .,e4 ne ,.,eh riOIf 70 travel q
you or /" replied a gentleman beside m,
poor people when | have the monev :
shelp dem" :
"Well, If you lived in p. there 70,
would find enough to do with your none,
my friend. You live in the country. vo
and pay taxes for the support OF ties
people; We are toxed to support beneyoler
institutions where men like that arc wo
attended, and where they are much bette
oil than they are jostling through crowd,
and out among strangers"
The speaker was what the world oona,
ally calls a finc-looking man. with . boa
ana ehest that would grace a bank-notc
and 2 smooth open face. had heard hin
addressing a ragged ncws-boy q few me
ments after be entered the car, and befor
we started. The boy had cried his Stbre
papers for a dime, sir" and my fne-look
ing man offered to take them at five cept.
on CONDITION That the ucwssboy-woufd wssl
his face and comb bis hair on the morrou
iead attend Sunday School. "On no otbr
condition will take them" said the ma,
~ a Pompous, half-patronizing way ths
disguised me. ~ 80
I'm sure | can't see how any man coul
have the heart 20 turn that man away owe
IT tbeTe was a benevolent Institution IN :,
'ory village in the land" rcioined q moor,
dressed man seated near the fal inner.
The latter nodded assent with a grati6s
smile, saying dc poor VIC hef alwavs-y
must DO goot-l pay my tax, but / want
DO something's more, and effery time | bef Z
chance 1T does me goot-makcs me e.
peter"
"Yes; but consider, my friend, that the,
people arc often used 6y rascals TO nal
money" urged the cautious gentlcma,
who was so thoughtful of his puTse.
Yes, dat may pc very true, dat NAV ,
PEI Out am not to plane for dat, so / d
my duty, dat is all dat ] must do. De
may, pc ~rnscals," shaking his head deprec,
tingIy, tut den | want to saif my soul. an
do cat tink is right"
Inc calculating gentleman smiled a nj
ying smile; he was only thinkino Of /
pocket. How | admired the pepui1e bo,
esty OF the German, who wanted 70 4
metning beside paying his tax, and wb
ielt better after giving TO the poor.
PAUL LAURIE.