The daily gazette., 1883-09-25
LITTLE oLp LADY.
A Grandmather Aboard the Trash Her
old Eyes FuIlOf oRildlike wsndeF-

O,d Evss FuIaof opildIfke wonder.
ts.obserset'' IA Peek, N SUM-
We stae at a quiet scountrE, side that has
recently Achieved a station-for only one
other building is visible-and little old
grandmother comes among us. lafm
wagon is at a respectful distance with
kcArefnl old man holring the bits OF the TAT
\ and keepy horses, who do not even ofeau
fof befng frightened. The little ola lazy \
calls out something 70 the distant old nah.
whtJ sriiies ff the doubtful way Of one who
doesn't. understand word, and she would
/ like To iinger on the platform and say more
parting words to the elderly daughter, who
Mas come TO see her OF, but the brakeman
gently assists her within and slams the door.
She efyes little staggeF as the urHiu moves
on. sinks into the first vacant seat, ana
Turning to the window mods 70 her daugn-
ter. who smiles back reaAsnringiy.
kindly gentleman leans forward snu eeals
her OF a better seat farther down and carries
her large covered basket for her, and partly
II6wefs Che blind where the sun ie streaming
lin PeepIe are always kind to this very old
lHni the very Young; lis the forloBn middle
4 aged whoiars permitted to care for them
selves. III It --+ 20. ss3e.s
| our grandmother sits down7Mith chirp-
ing athank ye''---she is noe of the atEe that
saws a'tIiauks''s-and looks ouTtousiyl about
4 her Possibly she had never rode In the cars,
4 for her old ewes are full Of .ehildlike wonder
4 and surprise; and she has quite long ex-
PLANTATION from the conductor before she
n Yields her tieket to him and she wa'ehes him
tar of part OF It as II he were doanR a
q great uIi8chlef She even appeals to fellow
IioassepRerA-after the asmiling official had
sd nhseel onalto K now n everything is all right
N and eaIsned by his cheerful assurance, she
I smiles too, and admits that she "atnt muci
| | used to tTavelin'." -
! II 4 duaiut picture she il l--her shirred blAe
y siIk bonnet h 30 years old If day, but !
q has fresh Ft1ehe inside and glossy new
% strings; the black silk shawl, pinned q eros
4 1 her breast with a round gold brooch. Is o
I the kind YOU remember seeing In your child
y hood, and her dress is soft silkan alPac-
d lthat can be an old lady's best dress TO
many years and give little sign of wear
L People sitting ne n her, # given 70 noficin'
trfAes, can detect q faint, homelys cleal
odor as of dried mint and lavender On
y looks at the ingeniously hung lamps, IN
'eI pretty transparencies in the upper windows
n and passes her nand gently over the velVe
r upholssery-smiling q little retrospecnV
sort Of smile Perhaps she Is thinking
= the old stage days, or of the time years an
6 wears ago when she aud her hnsban
ID travelled by canal and lake and river an
possibly Byox cart into these far westeT
4 wilds and set up their humble new hom
:. with little capital but strong hands an
~ brave hearts.
n Agairst the Establishments of the fru
or and vegetable-iVory boy she 81 Is mild b'
zee Arm fece--fgs and novels, bananas and 10
- papers, oranges and railway guides, all q
w waved politely aside. 1t Is only before {
eh basket of pears, yellow and sweet as lum
% OF summer sunshIre, that she wavers for
urt moments but the old pears are waved
am also, buy If chem and presently extend
~. couple to her with my sweetest smile-whi
nP' perhaps is rever very sweet. She recei
ge- them tirst with surpris, aud then the 81
lily chirping "thank yer and regards th
fondly "They're the first pears I've 81
~ in more than 40 years." she explains.
Retiring into my newspaper ! see
ity, fondling and smelling them in mild 8
ful of ecstacy and for a moment she medita
mi actually eating one, but controls herself 4
tod puts them carefully away In the gr
,s,. basket. They are too precious to her to
'e'y eaten in this puclic glare.