The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
Speaking a Kind Word.

On Sixth avenue street-car, going
down town, the conductor stopped for
two little children to get off They
were nicely dressed, and evidently of a
family that ought not to let children so
small go on the cars unattended. If
parents are unable to send some one
with their little ones, they should keep
them at home.
The conductor took them in charge,
stepped off the car with them. and
placed them safely on the sidewalk.
His careful attention to the children
struck me so pleasantly that, when he
returned to his place and the car was
again in motion, | said to him:
at was very kind in you to take such
good care of those children"
He did not know just how to take the,
remark, fearing that | was making light
of it, and asked what | meant. | re-
peated it, and added that it was very
pleasant to see him so considerable of
children that were for moment in his
care. He was touched, and the tears
actually moistened his eyes as he an
swered:
"Well, sir, I've been on these cars
ten years, and that's the first kind word
that was ever spoke to me"
| did not tell him it was rare for any
one to have chance. Yet it is very
true that they, and all men in similar
employments, are brought into collision
daily with all sorts of people, and espe-
cially unreasonable men and women;
their tempers are tried, and, being men
of little culture, they easily give way
to i'll temper, and say and do what they
ought not. They speak hastily, and
get the reputation of being morose and
brutal.
Yet there is not a set of men in the
world who need more to be treated with
forbearance, charity and kindness than
these men on the car, omnibus and
stage lines. Exposed to all weathers,
worked early and late, with scant time
to eat and to sleep, separated largely
from social and domestic relations,
tempted to indulge in strong drink, and
rarely receiving religious instruction,
it is not strange if they become worse
than other laboring men. But some of
them are sober, Intelligent, Christian
men, industrious, frugal and saving,
with families well cared for, and for
whom they have all the affection OF the
best of fathers. To speak roughly to
such men is fearfully wrong.
But there are few men in any respon-
sible business on whom a word of kind
ness is lost. 1t costs nothing to be not
only civil, but polite. There is differ
ence in the meaning of ciciE and polite,
although at the root they are nearly the
same word. And the thought that the
more cultured man is the more unwill-
ing he should be to let any other man
excel him in politeness, will impel every
thoughtful person to be kind, gentle
and charitable to his equals and inferi-
ors as well as to those whom he knows
to be his superiors.
The conductor on whom 1 dropped a
word of praise for well-doing was en-
couraged to do the same and more in
the future. Probably he told his wife
of it when he went home, after his long
day of work was over. And they had
a secret joy in the thought that swell
DONE had been earned, and said by a
stranger: indeed a stranger, but one
who had sympathy with humble serv-
ant trying to be faithful in the sfew
things given him to do. And if he
and his wife read the Bible, as / hope
they do, they will remember that kind
ness to the last, even to children and to
strangers, is seen of the Great Master,
and will not lose its reward in the day
when He sits on His throne of judg-
ment. IrenGaS," IN N. Y. Observer