Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-11-05
A CONDUCTORS STORY.
He Tells How He Came to Be Sympathetss
and Soft-Hearted.

He Tells How He Came to BE Sympathetas
and Soft-Hearted.
81 know" said the conductor as he
finished counting UP and lighted cigar,
that most people consider US a hard
hearted lot but we've got to be, or at
least must appear to be. A railroad
company has little to do with sentiment
and great deal to do with business. /
can't afford to let people ride at my ex-
pense, so what am | to do?''
No remedy being suggested he smoked
away in silence for two or three min
utes, and then continued:
Il didn't use to have so much heart
about It. always excusing myself on the
plea of duty; but one night about three
years ago something happened which
has kept my heart pretty soft ever since.
TWAS on the run out of Buffalo, and when
came to take up the fares came across
a woman and child. She was pale-faced
and poorly clad and she had world of
trouble in her face. l saw that in a
general way, but it was not my bus ness
to pity her The child with her, a boy
of seven or eight was lying on the seat,
with her old shawl for pillow She Of
fered me one full fare ticket to point
about forty miles below, but demanded
one for the boy.
"'Please sir, she said, we are very
poor and he's only little chap and Pm
taking him home to die.
That was no excuse, and l plainly
told her that she must pay for him or
he'd have to get off. l thought she was
trying to beat his way, but in that l was
mistaken. 1t was dark and rainy
night and she'd never have got ready to
leave the train at the next stop if she'd
had money to pay for the boy. l felt
bit ashamed when 1 saw her making
ready, and it hurt me to see her lean
over him and both cry together, but one
of our men had been discharged only
the week before for overlooking one
legged soldier who only wanted a lift
for ten miles"
"And no one offered to pay the boys
fare?'
For a wonder, no. There was full
crowd in the car, but all seemed to look
upon the pair with suspicion | hated
to put them off, and l was hoping the
woman would make one more appeal
and give me show to back water when
the train ran into - and she made
ready to get off. The least | could do
was to help her with the boy. | picked
him up and started to follow her out
but had scarcely taken notice of his
white face and tear-wet cheeks when he
uttered shrek of fear, ~straigh tened
out in my arms and next instant l
knew l held corpse Yes, sir, the life
went out of him in that cry, and the
mother turned on me with look [ can
never forget and cried:
"He's dead! He's dead. And you
have killed himr
II don't like to think Of it." whispered
the conductor, after long silence. 81
had my months wages in my pocket,
and l gave her every dollar of it and
the passengers raised as much more,
and when / left her with her dead at
the next station had done every thing
l possibly could, but that didn't clear
me- | had been too harsh and cold.
She had told me the truth and | had
doubted ner She had asked for mercy
and had ordered her out in to the night
and the storm with a dying boy in her
care. She has never forgiven me, and
never will, and try as hard as | may
can never forgive myself IN. Y. Sun.