The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-09-07
THE EAW OF KINDNESS.


ness, for it is the only moral force that oner
ates with the same effect upon mankind
beast kind and birdkind. From time imne
mortal music has wonderfully affected 81
beings, reasoning and unreasoninr. tina
have ears to hear The prettiest i9ef
and smile Of ancient literature relates. t.
Orpheus playing his Tyre to animals list
enlDg In intoxicated silence to it's strains
Well, kindness is the spontaneous nsu
sic OF good wall to beasts and both lister
to 1t with their hearts instead of theiI
ears and the hearts Of both are effected
Dy TIN the same way, if not in the sam,
degree Volumes might be written filed
with beautiSul illustrations of it's effects
upon both. The music of kindness baf
not only theepoWer to charm, but to trans
form ooth the savage heart of man and
beast and on this harp the smallest i'm
gers IN the world may play Heavens
sweetest tunes on earth4
some time ago we read Of an incident
thaC Will serve as an illustration of thie
beautiful law. 1t was substantially to this
effect: A poor, coarse featured old wou7a i
lived on the line Of the Baltiomre and
Ohio Railway, where it passes through 9
wild, unpeopled district of Western Vir-
ginia. She was widow, with onlvsone
daughter, living with her in loo hut,
near deep, precipitous gorge, crossedabT
railway bridge. Here she contriyed, to
support themselves byraising and selling
poultry and eggs, adding berries in their
season, and other litsIe articles in theiy
market. She had to Make long, weaqy
walk OF many miles to.a town where she
could sell her basket of produce. The
railway passed by her cabin to this town,
but the ride would cost too much O. the
profits other small sales, so she trv6ped
on generally to the market on foot. The
conductor came finally to notice her wa Liz
ing by the side of the line Or between the
rails; and, being good natured, benevo-
lent man, he would often give her a, ride
to and fro without charge The engine
men were also good TO the old woman, and
felG they were not WBonging the interests
OF the company by Giving her these free
rides. And soon an accident occurred
that proved that the4 were quite riqhd in
this view Of the matter
In The wild month of March the main
descended, and the mountains sent down
their rolling, roaring torrents Of melted
snow into this gorge near the old agCman's
hut. The flood rose with the darkness of
nlgh59 until she heard the crash. of the
railway bridge as 1T was swept fron its
abuC.aents and dashed its broken,tinnbers
agalns! the cragggs sides Of the preeipice
on either side. Il was nearly n1idnirht.
The raSn fell in 9 GOOD, and the darkness
was deep and bowling with the storm. In
aDotaer half honnsbhe express train would
be cue. What could she do to, warn it
against the awfvb destruction it, was an.
preaching? She had hardly a.whole tai
low candle IN heDhOuse and mo hight she
cQald make OF tallOW or oil, if,sAe had it,
would live Tns0ment in thatf tempest of
wlnd and rain, Not momBat was to be
lost; and her Thought was equal to the
moment. Shscoat the corGl of her only
hedstead, and;shouldered the dry posts,
side pieces aad head piece. Her daugh-
ter followed ,Eler with their two wooden
chairs. Up the steep em5ankment thew
andlpiled all the household fur
nlture upon.the line few. rods before this
black, awful chasm, guvgling with the
roaring f1Cad. The distant numbling Of
she train came upon theGat ius5 as they had
hred the we'll dried ccmbuStibles. Ehe
pile blazad up into the night, throwing.
It's red, swaling, booming light Aong
Way up she track. In fifteen miuutsa it
would Begin to Wanea. and she COULD not
revive It with green, wet wood. The,
thundeGof the train grew louder. It was
within. live miles Of the fire Wouldsthey
sec 1t IN time? They might not pat on
the bralAeS soon enough. Awful thought
She tore her red flannel gown FROM. her in
a moment, and tying it to the end of
stick. nan up the mack, waving il In both
hands, while her daughter swuna round
hea' head blazing chair post q Little be-
fOGe>
The lives of 81 hundred uncoascious pas.
sangers hung on the issue Of the next
minute. The ground tremble9 at the old
woman's feet The great rcd eye of the,
engine burst upon her as it came
around curve. Like as a huge, sharp,
sighted lion coming suddenly upon frs
1T sent forth thrilling roar that filed
all the Wild nights and ravines around.
The train was at full speed, but brake
Enen wrestled at their leverage with all
the strength of desperation. The wheels
ground along on the heated rails slower
and slower, until the englue stopped at
the decaying FIRE. It still blazed
enough to show them the betting edge of
the black abyss into which the train and
all It's passengers would have been plung-
ed, and into death and destruction too
horrible to think of, had it not been for
the old Woman's signal. They did not
stop to thank her first for the deliverance.
The conductor knelt down by the side of
the engine, the engine driver and the
brakesmen came and knelt down by him
all the passengers came and knelt down
by them; and there, in the expiring light
of the burning out pile, in the rain and
wind, they thanked God for the salvation