The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-02
What Chris Liked.

Chris had bright red hair and blue
ewes. When he came into the street
car, the March wind had blown q rosy
color into his cheeks, so that he looked
like very bright boy.
He went to the front end of the cal
to put his fare into the box, and when
he came back, young lady was enter,
ing the door. Chris sat down opposite
her, and waited until she had drawn
from her purse the little black circle
which was the ticket used OH the line
Before she had even time to raise her
eyes, she saw red mitten held out be-
fore her, and dropped the ticket into il
with q pleased "Thank you"
But before Chris could get back
again, his seat was taken. Three or
four passengers had come in, and the
car was now quite full. The pretty
young lady now had for neighbor an
old woman with q brown veil tied
around her head, and who wore a
shiny alpaca dress, with coarse black
lace sewed in the sleeves. She had
placed on the floor thick, brown pa
per bundle, fully two feet long; and OF
course, with such thing at her feet,
she could not get up very easily. so
Chris offered to carry her fare for her,
and she thanked him with grateful
smile she had q very pleasant face.
It took her sometime to find her pock-
ct, and while Chris was waiting, he
collected tickets and five cent pieces,
quite like young conductor. The old
lady finally handed him a quarter,
and, as he had to get change from the
driver, he was away so long that the
car had stopped again before he return
ed. This time it was to let some of the
passengers out; and the young lady
looked up at Chris, and motioned t.
him to take the vacant place at her
side.
"Iam very glad that you have seat
at last" she said, ''for you lost yours
by your kindness to me; and you have
been kept busy ever since"
"Oh!h said Chris, II like to put
money in the box"
IT think you like to be obliging,
don't you?" asked the young lady.
At this, the red color in the boys
cheeks, which had grown little palel
since he was sheltered from the wind,
became bright again. He did not
know what to say, but was sure he
ought to make some reply.
II guess so," he answered; and then
tried to let the young lady see that he
was looking very earnestly at the store
window in front of which they were
stopping. But for all that, he saw q
>thin-faced gentleman come slowly IN,
and was instantly on his feet again,
saying eagerly: Here is seat, SIR"
The gentleman looked very tired
and pale. and Chris thought he must
be just recovering from a sickness. VI
course, there was now another fare to
be paid, and he did it with business
like air, as of one accustomed to his
work.
"Have I taken your seat?" asked
the gentleman. "It was very kind in
YOU to give it up to an old man."
Now Chris had not thought him old
though he looked feeble; and he was
all at once afraid that in his haste he
might have forgotten to be polite. Fol
without knowing how to put it into
words, he knew that We are seldom
really kind when we act as if we
thought ourselves so.
"I like to stand and hold on to 8
strap" said he.
Then, his eye happening to fall Oh
the old woman's big bundle, he began
to wonder whether it were heavy anc
she had far to carry it, and whether, il
he should get off where she did, she
would not let him take it little way
All at once he became aware that they
were crossing the street in which hi
lived, and that it was already supper
time. He gave the bell-rope quick
jerk, and the car stopped. Three faces
looked up as he passed, and gave him
three bright smiles. One was the gif
of the pale gentleman, one was from
the pleasant-faced old woman, and one
was from the pretty young lady. AL
though it was six o'clock in the eve
ming, he had feeling as if the SUI
were shining on him, and he always
liked to be in the sunshine.