The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-26
She Gave Her Dinner.

A deiected-looking man and his frail,
careworn wife sat in one Of the seats OF
crowded car, each holding q child.
The elder was little girl of about four
or five years, pale and delicate, as
though she had been fed all her life
at q scanty table. The younger was
still at the breast, at which lie altern-
atcly fed and cried, the poor mother
being too nearly exhausted by hunger
and weakness to satisfy her child. A
few bundles neatly wrapped up in
newspapers filled the rack above them,
while two old valises that had seen
their best days, and now holding
family possessions were crammed into
a seat with them.
1t was no unusual sight, and the well
fed passengers gave them hardly q
passing notice. Whence they camc
and whittier going, no one knew OF
cared. The poor man and his fami
were lost in the crowd. The train
rushed on, and the passengers talked
on, as if there could be no case of dis
tress within a thousand miles. Direct
ly the little girl learned over and asked
her mother for something. The moth
er shook her head and looked quickly
away. The father pressed his child's
head to his heart as if to stop its pain
But the child began to cry, and soon
her voice attracted the attention Of all
the passengers Some wondered what
could be the M after; some felt annoyed
at the crying.
In the rear of the car sat u lady who
had been riding all day. She had no,
ticed the poor mans family, aud had
seen the traces ofsuffering and want
in their faces. She heard the child cry
She, too, was another. She had heard
her own childre en- cry, and she knew
what it meant. Size took the lunch she
had brought to break her own fast on
thetrain, and, going toward, handed tc
the mother as she sat holding her child
AS their eyes met, both mothers eyes
filled with tears they had read each
others hearts. The child stopped
crying, and eagerly legan to eat. The
lady walked back to her seat in the
rear, but her act had opened the hearts
of her fellowpassengers. Here and
there lunch-baskets We're opened
and food was brought from all over the
car, and laid in their laps. Pocket
books were loosened and silver pieces
came pouring into the poor mans
hand in a grateful stream. But they
could not eat. The mother bent over
her child and %ept The father sal
looking blankyy at the money and the
food. He had been thinking bitterly
OF the cold, indifferent world, till his
faith in man and in Divine Providence
had almost gone. No work, no food
no money, and this wife and these
childreD( to be provided for. Suddenly
he breaks down. His faith in God has
trium he'd. God has sent his angel into
thec tomeet him with cruseand cake
as dddElijah back yonder under the
Juniper. The dark days had given
him sudden burst of sunlight. He
has awakened to find a little sympathy
in the human heart, and he blesses
God for the revelation.
He soon after left the car, with the
\ CLEAN Of a newly-kindled hope in his
face. His wife looked back to smile
her gratitude. They were gone, but
they had left a blessing behind them
In this seat and in that, q heart fell
richer and happier for the little good il
had done.
q. The food aud the money sown had
brought back quick fruition.
Thinking only that she had done &
little more for her Lord, the mother
in the rear rode on homeward, happier
in her fasting than the richest meaI
could have made her. For God fed
her that day as she had rarely been fed
before, aud gave to her, as precious
memento, the remembrance that she
had lifted load from fathers heart
and dried a mothers tears, and that
she had touched the springs Of fellow
hearts till they, too, had opened to fee
the happiness of giving.-Phiadcrhio
Methodist.