The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-07-26
Something Curious Happened.

A boy. ten wears old, pulling a
heavy cart loaded with pieces OF
boards and hath taken from some
demolished structure-an everyday
sight in all our large cities. Tired
and exhausted, he halted under a
shade tree. His feet were sore and
bruised, his clothes in rags, his face
pinched and looking years older
than il should. What must be the
thoughts of such a 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 it was to be
poor? Does it harden the heart and
make it wicked, or does it bring a
feeling of loneliness and wretched-
ness-a wondering if the rich mans
Heaven is not SO far from the poor
mans Heaven that he will never
catch sight of their pinched faces?
The boy lay down on the grass.
and in five minutes was fast asleep.
His bare feet just touched the curb
stone. and the old hat fell from his
head and fell to the walk. In the
shadow of the tree his face told a
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 mocking
shadows.
Then something curious happen
ed. A laboring mana queer old
man with wood-saw on his arm
crossed the street to rest for q mo-
ment 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,
toe. knew what II was TO shiver and
hunger. He tip-toed it along until
he could bend over the boy, and
then he took from his pocket a 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, IS if he wanted to es'
cape thanks. Men, women and
children had seen it all, and what a
leveller it was The human soul j:
ever kind and generous, but some
times there is need of key to open
! it. A man walked down from his
steps and left half dollar beside
the poor mans bread. A woman
walked down and left Il good hat ii
place of the old one. A child cam,
with pair of shoes and a boy
brought coat and vest. Pedestri
ans halted and whispered and drop
ped dimes and quarters beside th'
first silver piece.
Something curious had happened
The charity of poor old man haC
unlocked the years of a score o
people. Then something strang
occurred. The pinched-faced DO,
suddenly awoke, and sprang up a
liz il were a crime to sleep there
He saw the bread-thc clothing
the money-the score of peopl
waiting around to see what he would
do. He knew that he had slept
and ne realized that all these thing
/ had come TO him as he dreamed
Then what did he do? Why, he 50
down and covered his face with hi
hands and sobbed like a grieve'
child. They had read him 4 sermol
greater than all the sermons of tn
churches. They had set his hear
to swelling and jumping until
choked him. Poor, ragged an
wretched, and feeling that he wa
no more TO the world than q site
or a stone-he had awakened to fin
, that the world regarded him as
human being worthy Of aid and Ell
titled TO pity.-Detrod Free Press.