Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1885-01-29
MEXICO, MISSOURI THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1885
4 Pleasant Story.


Hslston. In New York Times.
A Madison avenue girl tells 3
pleasant little story Of one OF the in
cidents of q trip down south. This
young woman, as noted for her i'm
pulsive nature as for her charity. was
sajourning at small Mississippi
town recently. In taking her usual
ramble one balmy morning she came
across q poverty-stricken negro
wench, who, crouched beside white
washed milestone, was grooming away
in true darky style.
WHATS the matter, my good
womanr" asks the northern girl.
"Oh. missy, Use been doin' laun-
dry work up at de hotel, but dey wont
hab me tlaL no mo-"
why won't they give you more
work?'
"'Kaise Use done hab de feber, m
Use all worn away, missy"
swell. but why don't you 60 to
the hospital or rest at home until
your strength returns?"
"Dar's no place fur me dah, mis-
sy. n ole Sans done gone las
spring. De cabins way off yonder.
Nobody's come dar, n Use bin try
in to get inter town."
While old aunty was celebrating
her story, tall, slender white man,
with cane under his arm, was passing
up and down a short distance away,
in deep meditation. The maiden's
sympathy for the unfortunate Great
ure, bending before her with wistful
eyes upturned, had long since been
aroused. The answers to each of
the questions put to the crone had
disclosed the fact that nothing but
stark famine could have raised the
figure by the milestone from her
wretched cabin pallet.
My informant says that the old
picture of Uncle Tom" lying in
Legree's workhouse sick unto death
instantly forced its way into her
mind. She thrust her hand into her
stout walking-dress pocket for her
tpurse. To her extreme modification
and regret it wasn't there. She ut
tered an exclamation of dismay, and
turned hastily around
The tall. elderly gentleman. who
had been walking up and down, hat
heard enough of the colioquy betwee'
the negro wench and the northern
girl to explain the situation for him
Taking off his hat, with old-time gal
! lantry, he advanced a few steps ant
in singularIy gentle tone said:
"My dear Miss, won't you allo'
me to help you?'
Before the sentence was ended b
had thrust his purse into the youn
Iady's hand. My Lady Bountifu
: didn't hesitate to make use of som
of the purses contents, and the negr
. woman's attenuated fingers were 500
closed over q handsome largess q
l silver. The northerner turned t
thank the gentleman and gave h,l
her address. He stood silent Will
she expressed her gratitude; habitu'
sadness again looked out from b
I eyes. When the young girl insiste
~ ON knowing at least his name, he u'
covered his thin locks, and bendir
" toward his questioner, said:
a "Men call me Jefferson Davis!
will see that your charge here is cart
's for"
a NV girl was amazed, more th,
amazed-overcume-byt this revel
ID ,ion, and while she ihvoluntari
stretched out her hands to the co
lg federate chief-the bugaboo of seho
IN days-tears stood thickly in b
lg eyes.
Il "When 1 thought" she said to !
ne in describing the incident, ''of I
horrible tales had heard of hi
ed how repulsive he was, how he hat
the negro. and all that. and how
he had believed every word against hi
could not help feeling asham'
zee Who would have acted so nobly,
generously, as he did? He's
OF dearest, kindest, truest gentleman
ever met!"
ed l like to think Of the picture t
Mt Madison avenue lass made as I
,ui reached her crescendo of praise
ler Rebel jeff" though her story is
zen quite like the usual tale that
come to me of the arch traitor of
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