Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-11-10
A Pleasing Incident

Sitting in a station the other day,
had a little sermon preached in thu
way I like ; and I'll report 1t for you
benefit, because it taught one Of the
lessons which we all should learn, and
taught it in such a natural, simple way
that no one could forget it. 1t was g
bleak, snowy day; the train was late;
the ladies'-room dark and smoky; and
the dozen women, old and young, who
sat waiting impatiently, all looked
cross, low-spirited and stupid. 1 felt
all three ; and thought, as I looked
round that my fellow beings were a
very unamiable uninteresling set.
Jus. then a forlorn old woman, shak-
ing with palsy, came in with basket
OF wares for sale, and went about mute.
| ly offering them to the sisters. Nobody
bought anything, and the poor old soul
stood blinking at the door a minute, as
if reluctant to 20 out into the bitter
storm again, She turned presently,
and poked about the room, as if trying
to find something and then a pale
lady in black, who lay as if asleep on g
sofa, opened her eyes, saw the Ole
woman, and instantly asked IN a kind
tone:
Have you lost anything, ma'am?'
NO, dear. Pm Looking for the
heatln' place, to have a warm fore
goes out agin. My eyes is poor. and
don't seem to ind the furnace nowheres.
Here 1t is > and the lady led and.her t
the steam radiater, placed a chair. and
showed her how to warm her feet.
We'll, now; amt that nice p SAID the
old woman, spreading her ragged
mittens to dry. 'Thanky, dear, this is
proper comfortable, amt it?' I'm most
trozs To-day, benz lame and ylmbly;
and not selling much makes me kind o
dowu-hear.cd.
The lady smiled, went 10 the coun-
ter. bought a cup Of tea and some sort
OF food, carried it herself TO the ole
woman, and said, as respectfully and
kindly as if the poor woman had been
dresscdin silk and fur:
Won't you have a cup of hot tea
rs very comforting such day as this.
'Sakes alive! Do they give it to peo
pie at this depot?' cried the old lady iu
a tone ofInnocent surprise, that made
a smile 90 round the room, touching
the glummest face like streak Of suu
shine. We'll, now, this is jest lovely,
added the old lady. slipping away with q
relish. This does warm the cockles'
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 pay
lng well for them.
As l watched her doing this,
thought what sweet face she ha(
though I'd considered her rather plair
before. l felt dreadful y ashamed o
mj self that had glimly shaken my
head when the basket was offered to me
aud, as l saw the look of interest, SYM
palhy and kindness come into the dis
NAL faces all around me, | did wish tha
[ had been the magician to call it out
1t was only kind word and friendly
a.t; but somehow 1t frightened thai
dingy room wonderfully. 1t changeC
the face OF a dozen women and,
think, it touched a dozen hearts, for ]
saw many eyes follow the plain, pale
lady with sudden respect and when
The old woman got up to 90, several
persons beckoned to her, and bought
something, as Ilthcy wanted to repair
their first negligence.
Old beggar-women are not romantic
neither are cups Of tea, boOt-laces ant
colored soap; there were no gentlemen
present 10 be impressed with the LADY,:
kind act; 80 it wasn't done for effect
and no possible reward could be receiv'
ed Tor 1t except the uugrammatical
thanks Of a ragged old woman. But
that simple little charity was as goot
rs a sermon 20 those who saw ii; ant
think each traveller went on her way
better for that halfhour in the dreary
station. l can testify that one OF then
did; and nothing but the emptiness o
her purpose prevented her from CONS
fortlng the cookies of the heart, of every
forlorn old woman she met for week
/ Z.