News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-10-14
In The Street Car.

"Here comes Mother Bunch" said a
| child, as the car-door opened. She was
| a homely little middle-aged woman but
something in her face showed that she
| had one of those souls to which needy
| folk come to be warmed and fed. A
tall girl, elegantly dressed, was her es-
| cort, entered the street-car behind her
! The conductor took their umbrellas,
shook them dry, shut, and brought
| them in. The young woman nodded
haughtily, but the old lady thanked him
in so gentle a voice that the man, with
look of surprise, smiled and touched
| his cap. A poor woman with baby
and two or three children next scram-
| bled in; the pretty girl scowled as they
| clutched at her fur cloak, and drew it
| closer about her; but Mother Bunch
| quietly made room for the mother and
took one child on her knee. A draught
from an open window blew on a sickly-
looking girl and Mother Bunch drew it
| down.
''What a fine face that old lady has %
whispered her companion to the beauty.
HShe looks like a thorough gentle
woman"
The young lady scanned her from
whole suit bonnet and all, would not
cost twenty dollarsr p she said, contempt
uously.
Again the door opened, and stoop-
ing figure entered, preceded by whirl-
ing rush of snow. 1t was old Jacob.
with his basket of needles, shoe laces
and sticks of peppermint candy. Every
body knew the old negro who squatted
generally on the steps of the old Court
house. but very few people know how
miserably poor he was. Our young lad Y
exclaimed, as his basket rubbed against
her.
BEG yer pardon, missey," said the
old man, jerking off his cap humbly
Else kind O. blind, ennyhow."
He dropped into seat by the old
lady. "You are going home early, un-
cle," she said.
''Yes'm Dead beat out by de storm
Nobody kin see me and kin see no.
body. thought | go home to Sally"
After awhile she noticed that the old
man sighed to himself, and that his lips
and Jaws were sunken and ashen. She
was quick to reach conclusions.
"How much did you make to-day"
she whispered.
"Bress goodness, not one cent"
'And you're hungry2"
He started, looked at her and nod
ded. She slipped something into his
hand. "This is for you-you and
Sally"
He looked at his hands and than at
her, his wrinkled face beaming as only
negro's can, and began to thank her,
when the conductor opened the door.
"Change for Oak Lane! Here's your
car, Jacob"
The old man went out laughing, and
cropping his way. Before the car moved
there was wild cry, a rush of the
crowd outside, and then g. silence. The
conductor looked in presently, his jaws
pale under the whiskers. "He fell on
kicked him in the forehead" he said.
The passengers all went out. The
old negro lay on the snowy track, quite
still. He had been killed on the in
slant. His hand was shut tight. and
his old face still had the happy smile
on it.
The young girl looked at him, trem-
bling, and burst into tears II would
give the world if | had made the old
man happy in his last moments" she
said. Then, after a shudder or two,
she went back into the car. But Mother
Bunch was talking to the driver. She,
two, was trembling and pale, for she
was old and easily moved.
"N here does old Sally ivem she
said. II will go to her"