Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-04-08
Miseellaaeoits.
A PLEASING INCIDENT.

Sitting in the station the other day, /
had little sermon preached in the way |
like; and I'll report 1t for your benefit,
because it taught one of the lessons
which we should learn, and it taught 1t in
such natural, simple way, that no one
could forget it. 1t was bleak, snowy
day; the train was late the ladies' room
dark and smoky; and the dozen women,
old and young, who sat waiting impatient
ly, all looked cross, low spirited, or stupid.
felt all three and thought as ! looked
around that my fellow beings were very
unaniable, uninteresting set.
Just then forlorn old woman, shaking
with the palsy, came in with basket Of
wares for sale, and went about mutely Of
fering them to the sisters. Nobody bought
anything, and the poor old soul stood
blinking al the door 4 minute, as il reluc
tant to go out into the bitter storm again.
She turned presently, and poked about
the room, as if trying to find something;
and then pale lady in black, who lay as
if asleep on q sofa, opened her eyes, saw
the old woman. and instantly asked in a
kind tone, ''have You lost anythin, ma
am o.
"No, dear I'm looking for the heating
place, to have a warm fore / goes out
aSiu. MY EYES Is poor auu uou seeu
to find the furnace nowheres."
Here it is; and the lady led her to
the radiator and placed chair, and show
ed her how to warm her feet.
well, now, amt that nice ?" said the
old woman. spreading her ragged mittens
to dry. "Thanky, dear; this is proper
comfortable, amt it +? I'm most froze to-
day, bein lame and wimbly and not
selling much makes me kind Of down
hearted"
The lady smiled, went to the counter,
bought cup of tea and some sort of food,
carried it herself to the old woman and
said, as respectfully and kindly as if the
poor woman had been dressed in silk and
tur, won't you have cup of hot tea?
It's very comforting such day as this
.'Sakes alive. Do they give tea to this
depot?n cried the old lady in a tone of in
nocent surprise, that made smile 60
round the room. touching the glummest
face like streak of sunshine "Well,
now this is jest lovely" added the old Ia
dy. slipping away with relish. ''This
does warm the cookies of my heart
While she refreshed herself, telling her
story meanwhile, the lady looked over the
poor little wares in the basket, bought
soap and pins. shoe strings and tape, and
cheered the old soul by paying we'll for
them.
As watched her doing this, thought
what sweet face she had. though I'd
considered il rather plain before / felt
dreadiully ashamed of myself that had
grimiy shaken my head when the basket
was offered to me; and as | saw the look
of interest, sympathy and kindllness come
into the dismal faces all around us. did
wish that had been the magician to call
it out. 1t WAS only q Kind word and
friendly act; but somehow it frightened
that dngy room wonderfully. 1t changed
the faces OF dozen women; and think
it touched dozen hearts, for | saw many
eyes follow the plain, pale lady with sud-
den respect; and when the old woman
got up to 90, several persons beckoned to
her, and bought something, as if they
wanted to repair ther first negligence.
Old beggar women are not romantic;
neither are cups of tea, boot laces and
colored soap; there We're no gentlemen
present to be impressed with the kind Ia
dy's act; SO it wasn't done for effect. and
10 possible reward could be received for
it except the ungrammatical thanks Of 4
ragged old woman. But that simple lit
tie charity was as good as sermon to
those who saw it; and think each trav-
eller went on their way better for that
half hour in the dreary station. l can
testify that one of them did; and nothing
but the emptiness of her purse prevented
her from comforting the cookies of the
heart of every forlorn old woman she
met for q week after.-Louise N. Alcot,
in Me Scrap Bay.