The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-10-23
Two Stories of Phillips Brooks.

Some time ago lady had occasion to
travel from Providence with her father,
who was very weak in his mind.
Whether it was the excitement of the
journey which developed so suddenly
in this usually quiet and inoffensive
man an unruly disposition, or whether
it was merely the ordinary course of
his disease, do not know, but at all
events long before they reached Bos-
ton he became possessed of fancy that
he must get off the train while it was
still in motion; that some absolute duty
called him. His daughter endeavored
to quiet him, but it was difficult to do
it, and she was just giving it up in
despair when she noticed a very large
man just across the aisle who was
watching the proceeding intently over
the top of his paper. As soon as he
caught her eyes he rose and crossed
quickly to her. :" beg your pardon"
he said. You are in trouble. May l
help your" AS soon as he spoke she
felt perfect trust in him. "What is
your fathers name?" he asked. She
told him, and with an encouraging
smile he bent over the gentleman who
was sitting in front of her, and said
few words in his ear. With smile the
gentleman rose, crossed the aisle and
took the vacant seat, and the next mo-
ment the large man had turned over
the seat, and, leaning over the troubled
old man, had addressed him by name,
shaken hands cordially with him, and
engaged him in a conversation 50 in
teresting and so cleverly arranged to
keep his mind occupied that he forgot
his need to leave the train, and did not
think of it again until they were in
Boston. Here the stranger put the
lady and her charge into a carriage, re-
ceiving her assurance that she felt per-
fectly safe, had cordially shaken her
hand, and was about to close the car
ri~ge door when she remembered that
she had felt so safe in the keeping of
this noble-loOking man that she had
not even asked his name. Hastily put
ting her hand against the door, she
said: Pardon me, but-yOu rendered
me such a service-may | not know
whom l am thanking?" The big man
smiled as he answered. "Phillips
Brooks" and turned away. An excel
lent foil to this, as showing a different
side of his nature and yet identical in
lto ICduN ldCls 10 uuoIHCI slOIJ WulCl
was told me recently. The great di-
vine has no stronger interest in the
world than that which he feels for the
young men who sit within reach of his
voice. Last winter he noticed three
young men who came to hear him
quite regularly, and as they looked like
workingmen he took pains to find out
who they were and made an opportu-
nifty to speak with them. Having as
certained where they lived and what
they did, he went one day to call on
them. He climbed several flights of
stairs and knocked at the door. All
three of the young men were in, and
they were taking their comfort in Their
shrt-sleeves. Naturally they were a
trihe embarrassed at being surprised by
this man to whom they looked up with
SO much respect. Mr.. Brooks shook
hands all round and then said, with his
cheerful smile: Well, boys, it's lit.
tie warm here. / think, if you will lei
me, | will take off my coat" and he
did and sat down and made his call il
his shirt-sleeves. 1t is needless to say
that those boys will never need any
better influence in their lives thar
Phillips Brooks will keep there, for il
is remarkable how many men he car
carry in his mind and keep safe in hi
influence. boston Home Journal.