Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-08-21

been on the watch TO do good he gave up his
seat by the fire 20 an Irish woman and her child
and took one further back soon young girl seat
ed herself by his side, and the night hours wore
on she nodded YEARLY he rose, spread his beau
tiiul leopard skin with its soft rich lining on tbe
seat, made pillow Of his carpet bag, and insisted
shat she should lie down and sleep.
" What will you do 2n said she naively
" Never mind mel can stand up and sleep like
buffalo; | used TO do H."
A little boy, pulled up from sound nap to give
place 10 incomers was paciGed and made quiet by
a handful Of chesnuts and glowing bit OF candy
out Of the big mans pocket. When he left the
cars for refreshments, he brought back his hands
ul Of pies, aud distributed them among the weary
group A mother and seven little children, the
eldest not eleven years old, whose husband and
father left the cars at every stopping place and
returned more stupid and beastly each time scold-
ing the little tired restless with thick tongue,
and glaring his furious red eyes upon the poor
gricyed victim of a wife, like tiger upon his prey,
because she did not keep her Young ones still,
they would disturb everybody" No bite Of re-
ircshmcnt, no exltlarating draught. rest for
the fat cross baby came TO her all the long night,
save when the big man stretched out his great
hands aud took her baby boy for an hour and let
him play with his splendid watch to keep him quiz
et
"Ill give ye a thousand dollars for him. said
he, as he handel him back to her arms.
90 1ou may have the whole lot for that answered
the drunken father with a swine-like grunt
" It's bargain said the big man, " provdn
the mother is wiling
" lndadc, sir, its not the one Of them can be
had for money! was the quiet yet determined res
ponse 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 all night had he been attracting the atten-
ton OF the waking ones in the cars. But this
kindness aud rough politeuess would soon have
been forgotten by the mass OF the passengers had
he not stamped it upon our memories with his
gold.
4" ! wonder who he is
"Where did he get in ?"
"What an interesting character"
" Education would spoil him
" What rich furs ~
"Did you notice what a splendid watch he car
ries ~
" He's some great man iHcog"
Such were a few Of the queries that passed from
lip b lip. But there came no answer; for he who
alone could have answered sat crouched in his fur
coat seemingly unconscious Of all but his own deep
thoughts
" "Cmcago!n shouted the brakesman, and in an
instant all confusion, and our hero lost in
the crowd. The next we saw of him was &C the
baggage stand, looking up a band box for sweet
looking country girl, who going TO learn the
miiners trade in the city. As we pass to our
carriage we discover him again, holding an old
man by one hand, while he grasped the shoulder
of the conductor OF the train with the other, seek
ing for the deaf, gray-hared sire the right infor-
nation to the route he should take to get TO his
- darter who lived near Musoatine, Iowa.
" God bless him for his good deedsln was our
ejaculation we whirled around the May
his shadow never grow less, nor the gold in his
pocket diminish, for in his unnumberei charities
aud mercies, dorpped so ounostentatiously here aud
there, he is perhaps doing more good in his day
aud generation, than ne who donates thousands to
build charitable institutions to give honor TO his
own name.
Oh, how much the 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 everyday wants OF hui
humanity, aud feeling within themselves the pow
or to move nightly, pass by the humble duties
that would make a thousand hearts leap for JOY
and push on, looking for some wrong to right.
some great sorrow to be soothed, some giant work
TO be accomplished; and falling TO hnd the great
work. live and die incarccrated in their own sell
ishness, and do nothing at all.
This rough mans nature seemed the nature of
the little child. His quick eye at glance,
his great heart warmed, and his great hand execu-
ted his works of charity--so small that would
have expected to them slip through his fingers
naccomplished-yet they were done. The recor-
ding angel will have a longer column TO set down
to his account Of deeds well done than all the rest
of the passengers of that crowded car, that
long, tedious, stormy night in January, 1907.