Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-11-15
TWO STREET CAR INCIDENTS.
A Mans In-Concealed Grief and Wo-
mans Stratagem.

A Mans n-ConceaIed Grief and a Wo-
mans stratagem.
The whole world is ashamed of its
tears. Itwants everybody to know when
it rejoices, and see its smiles but it
hides its wounds and weeps alone.
Tears are useful as emotional jew els in
literature, but in real life they are not
respected.
On street car one day saw two ex-
amples of the bitterness of tears which
could not be concealed from the public's
unsympathetic gaze.
A good looking young German, of the
comfortable middle class, got aboard.
The conductor collected his fare and the
car jolted on, the business Of perforating
each other with their eyes being contin-
ued by the silent passengers, with the
customary inflexible impudence and in
sistence.
The young German was uncomfortable
He was suffering mental anguish, and
making heroic efforts to conceal it from
the piercing rows of eyes opposite him
The muscles Of his smoothly shaver face
twitched nervously he moved uEeasily
in his seat and vainly tried to linda way
to look which would give some relief
OF course everybody saw his embarrass
ment and looked at MIN with SPECIAL in
terest. Ordinary humanity is not over
charged with delicacy, even when it is
most sympathetic.
The young man furtively wiped his
eyes, which were gushing with tears
while affecting to merely rub off his
forehead. He turned around and looked
out of the window behind him, and held
his face steadily toward the sky to keef
the teals from escaping in a trickline
stream Town his face. More staring
more curious interest in his i'll concealed
oItureS.
In his DESPERATION he forgot that he
had paid his fare, and. fishing in his
pocket, brought to light another nicke
which he handed toward the conductor
That iunctionary saw but did not accept
the coin. He simply helped the passen
gers to look at him.
did pay my fare?" asked the pool
man, trying to control the sobs in hl'
voice.
II guess So" answered the conductor.
Then the Germans self control gave
way, his nervous tension snapped, ano
as The copious tears gushed forth, he
walled: "Oh, my little girl is dead, anC
| don't know what Pm doing"
The passengers were touched, but
they did not take their eyes from him
thy in words Unable to endure theil
gaze in his broken condition, the youns
man suddenly left the car. His honest
grief could not be carried in the sight o
other human beings, all of whom haC
suffered and wept like himself.
He had scarcely disappeared when {
young girl and an elderly woman enter
ed together. The girls eyes were swim
ming in tears which soon refused to stay
within the prescribed limit, yet the
thought of letting all these strangers SEE
her weep was even bitterer than the
sorrow that had started her to weeping
The elder woman looked troubled. but
she had stronger nerves. She whisper
ed to her companion: Hold youl
handkerchief to one eye all the time
then everybody will think that your eye
not your heart, has been hurt"
The young girl acted on the suggestion
without replying. She held the hand
kerchief in a wad over the right eye, as
though it conld not bear the light, and
continued to weep without attracting
attention. The other passengers saw
nothing but woman with a disabled
eye, and after glance or two ceased to
look at her. l was struck with the wis
dom of the sad little stratagem. A
wound in the eye is not thing to be
ashamed Of 1t excited no morbid curl
ositv or humiliating pity but q wound
on the soul must be hidden.
ALICE LEE WATSON.