The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-08-21
A Pleasing Ineideut.


Sitting In station the other day / h,d
a little sermon preached IN the way liz
andl'll report IL for your benefit. be,1,nse
u uiigiIt one of tte lessons which We sll
should learn, and taughtitin such a na,nr'
nl, simpie way. thai no Que could forgetit
II was tbleak, snowy day the main wa.
late; the ladies'-room dark and sn,olv
and the dozen women, oldand Young. whn
sat waiting impatiently. all looked eros
low-spirited, or stupid. | felt all thre
and thought, as looked around. that m,
fellow-beings were very unah.lable. un.
interesting set. t tfH
just then a forlorn old wolnsn, SHAKING
with palsy, came in with basket OF war;
for sale. and went about mutely offering
them 10 the sitters. Nobody bought any.
thing, and the poor old soul stood blink.
ing at the door "A minute. as II reluctant 10
go out into te bitter storm again. She
turned presently, and poked about the
room, as ii trying to find something and
then pale lady in black. who lay AS II
asleep on sofa, opened her eyes, saw m.
old woman, and Instantly asked. in Kind
tone. " Have YOU lost anything, ma'am:"
" No. dear. I'm looking for heatin
place, 10 have a warm fore | goes out
again. NV eyes is poor and don't seem
To lind the furnace nowheres.n
Here il Is" and the lady led her 10 m,
steam radiator, placed a chair. and showed
her how 10 warm her feet.
well, now, amt that nice I" said the
old woman, spreading her ragged mitten,
TO dry. 'Thanky, dear this is proper
comfortable, amt IL? Pm most frozen to
day, bein' lame and windy aud not
selling much makes me kind of down.
hearted"
The lady smiled. went to the counter.
bought a cup of tea and some sort OF food
carried ii herself TO the old woman. and
said, as respectfully and kindly rs if the
poor woman had been dressed in silk and
fur, Won't you have cup OF hot tear
It's very comfortable such day as this
''Sakes alive, do they give tea 10 thi.
depoty' cried the old lady, in tone of in
nocent surprise that made a smile 20
round the room, touching the glummest
face like streak Of sunshine. well,
now, this is jest lovely added the old
lady, slipping away with a relish. "Th.
does warm the cookies of my heart -
While she refreshed herself. telling her
story meanwhile. the lady looked over the
posr little wares IN the basket, bought
soap and pins. shoe-strings and tape. and
cheered the old soul by paying well for
them.
As watched her doing this. | thought
what a sweet face she had, though I'd con-
sidered her rather plain before. I felt
dreadtully ashamed Of myself that had
grimly shaken my head when the basket
was offered TO me; and as saw the look
of interest. sympathy. and kindliness
come into the dismal faces all around me.
did wish that had been the magician to
call it out Ii was only kind word and
"A friendly ast. but somehow il Frightened
that dingy room wonderfully. Exchanged
the faces of dozen women. and think
il touched dozen hearts. for saw many
eyes follow the plain. pale lady with sud-
den respect; and when the ole woman
got up to 90. several persons beckoned to
her and bought something. as ii they
wanted TO repair their first negligence.
Old beggar women are not romantic;
neither are cups OF tea. boot-laces, and
colored soap. There were no gentlemen
present To be impressed with the lady's
kind act. so it wasn't done for effect. and
no possible reward could be received for it
except tn, ungrammatical thanks of
ragged old woman. But that simple little
charity was as good as sermon to those
who saw il. and think each traveller went
on her way better for that half hour in the
dreary station. ! can testify that one OF
them did. and nothing but the emptiness
of her parse prevented her from "com-
forting the cookies of the heart" Of every
forlorn old woman she met for a week
affer.-By Louisa NJ Alcott, ~, me Scrap
Bag.