The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-02-23
A CUP of Cold Water.

1t was night at the Michigan
Central Station in Detroit-late
dark, silent night, and only a few
dim lights broke the gloom into
dense shadows, that were more fear
full than utter darkness, and nc
traveller was so unfortunate as 10 be
compelled to linger in the dreary
place.
At least that was the impression
the vast silence gave, but there were
two travellers who, when no trains
were coming or going, waited in the
depot through the chill morning
hour. One was q man who had
come by the latest train, and whom
the conductor had helped into the
depot, and who, through WEAKNESS,
had fallen asleep on the cushion.
He was ticketed through, and his
destination was the grave; no one
needed TO glance at him twice to see
that he had almost reached the end
of his last journey.
The other passenger was on the
road to ruin; he, too, had nearly ar
rived at the terminus-at least his
pallid, summarized face, and ill
assorted, ragged clothes seemed to
indicate that he had nearly touched
the foot of the ladder; the world had
taken his measure and named him
tramp" but he had wrought his
own run; low and evil as he was he
never blamed any one but himself.
This man had been watching the
sleeper for a long time, had noted
his weakness, his respectable ap
pearance, and that he had a Wath
chain at his vest pocket, and q
respectable satchel under his head /;
and he crept near, nearer, with the
one horrible thought uppermost-he
would rob the dying man! He had
no fear Of the act. He Rugged the
baseness of it to his soul. But he
did fear that some one would come
in and interrupt his project. If the
man moved? Why, turn of the
wrist at his throat would settle him.
He did not move. The tramp
took the satcheI and the watch
simultaneously, and was ready to
fly, but the sick man merely groaned
family as his head dropped on the
cushion. In the face of actual death
he slept as quietly as a child on its
mothers breast
As the tramp looked with greedy
eyes at the watch to note its com
mercial value, he started and
shivered as if an official hand had
been laid on his shoulder, stared
wildly at the face Of the sick man
and back to the watch, which, with
open case, lay in his hand; and then
he muttered something that had the
name of God in it, and instantly it
was back IN the pocket of the sick
man, and the satchel was under his
head again.
What had he seen?
The picture of a captain in the
southern army, wearing the con
federate uniform. A face that re-
sembled that of man who, when
he lay dying of thirst, and was
about to be transfixed by a rebel
bayonet, gave him a draught of
spring water, and, setting him on
his own horse, turned him to the
north and said:
"When you meet a vanquished
man, spare him as l have spared
you"
And he had raised his blue cap
in the air and sworn to remember.
Now they had met again.
An hour later a carriage drove in
haste to the depot, and first of all a
child came running in. She looked
at the tramp a moment and hest
tated, then flung herself on the
PROSTATE man.
'sGrandpal dear grandpa wake
up, we have come TO take you
home"
A gentleman and lady hurried in.
Father" said the lady, kneeling