The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-08-09
Something Curious Happened.

A boy ten years old pulling heavy
cart loaded with pieces Of boards and
lath taken from some demolished struc
ture-an everyday sight in all oul
cities. Tired and exhausted he halted
under a shade tree. His feet were
bruised and sore, his clothes in rags, his
face pinched and looking years Older
than it should. What must be the
thoughts af such child as he looks
out upon the world-the fine houses,
the rich dresses, the rolling carriages
the happy faces of those who have
never known what il Swas to be poor
Does it harden the heart and make il
wicked, or does it bring q feeling Of
loneliness and wretchedness-a wonder
ing if the rich mans Heaven is not so
far from the poor mans Heaven that be
will never catch sight Of their pinched
faces?
The boy lay down on the grass, and
in five minutes was sound asleep. His
bare feet just touched the curbstone,
and the old hat fell from his head and
rolled to the walk. In the shadow OF
the tree his face told story that every
passer by could read. 1t told of scanty
food-of nights when the body shivered
with cold-of home without sunshine
of a young life confronted by mock
ing shadows.
Then something curious happened
A labCring mana queer. old man with
wood-saw on his arm crossed the
street to rest for a moment beneath the
same shade. He glanced at the boy and
turned away, but his look was drawn
again, and now he saw the picture and
read the story. He, TOO, was poor. He,
too, knew what it was to shiver and
hunger. He tip-toed along until he
covld bend over the boy, and then he
took from his pocket piece of bread
and meat-the dinner he was to eat if
he found work-and laid it down beside
the lad. Then he walked carefully
away, looking back every moment, but
Fastening out of sight as if he wanted
to escape thanks. Men, women and
children had seen it all, and what a
lever it was The human heart is ever
kind and generous, but sometimes there
is need of key to open it. A man
walked down from his steps and left a
half.dollar beside the poor mans bread
A woman walked down and left a good
hat in place of the old one. A child
came with pair of shoes and boy
brought coat and vest. Pedestrians
halted and whispered and dropped dimes
and quarters beside the first silver
piece.
Something curious had happened.
The charity of poor old man had un-
locked the hearts of a score of people.
Then something strange occurred. The
pinched-faced boy suddenly awoke and
sprang up as if it were crime to sleer
there. He saw the bread-the clothing
the money-the score of people
waiting around to see what he wou Id
do. He knew that he had slept, and he
realized that all those things had come
to him as he dreamed. Then what did
he doP Why, he sat down and covered
his face with his hands and sobbed like
a grieved child. They had read him @
sermon greater than all the sermons o.
the churches. They had set his heart
to swelling and jumping until it choked
him. Poor, ragged and wretched, anG
feeling that he was no more to the
world than stick or stone, he hat
awakened to find that the world re
garded him as human being worth,
of aid and entitled to pity,-Detroi
Free Press.