The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-05-09
EFFECT OF ONE SICK BABY.
Ii Brought Many Strange Travelling Conn
panions Nearer TO Each Other.

Ii Brought Many Strange Travelling Conn
panions Nearer TO Each Other.
1t WAS the day express tram on one
OF the great trunk lines of railway
in the middle states. Tiled AZ usual with
through passengers, says the Youth :
Companion. They sat for the most part
silent. each absorbed i'll his own
thoughts. There We're two great rail-
way magnatcs on their way To- New
York to consult about Il deal" there
were commercial travellers with their
canvas yalises beside them; there were
merchants, lawyers, farmers, glanclng
over their notebooks, reading the
papers doing: there was q richly
dressed. Notwithstanding woman,
who, with her child and maid sat 4 little
apart from the rest; there were chatter
ing. giddy schoolgirls, an old negro
..aunty." and asleep at the back of the
car a bloated, shabby old man, smelling
Of whisky. These people. gathered
out Of all classes. had no intercourse;
they looked askance and lndItferently
at each other.
The train, with a shrek and jar,
came 10 a full stop in the midst Of the
mountains. For Il few minutes the
passengers -at undisturhed, with the
calm faith of the American III the power
Of officials to set all things right. As the
train continued stationary, however,
one man after another went out.
They returned with thc tldings that i
bridge had given way, and that the
train would be detained for twelve or
fifteen hours.
There was general cutlery of annoy
ance and yexation. 1t was near noon;
every one wanted luncheon. Each man
insisted that his business was urgent
and could not be delayed. One little
woman in the corner. with baby IN
her arms, began to weep unnouced.
The other women complained more or
less loudly For few minutes every
face was clouded, and the car was filled
a babel Of angry voices. Presently
somebody noticed the mother crying
over her child and spoke to her.
''Oh. my baby - She sobbed. 1t Is
sick. and | hoped to get home III an
hour. | think IT Is dying
There Wa Il startled silence. Then
an elderly gentleman At the back of the
car came forward Il am physician,
he said. "Let me see the child.
II was dangerously Ill and in need Of
active treatment The naughty woman
who lad hitherto held herself aloof was
the first TO speak; she had 4 box of
mustard pIasters iii her satehel, and She
tore up her fine handkerchief for band
ages The old negro woman Wentquiet-
" out. kindled Il fire by the roadside,
and heated some water to give the
child Il hot bath.
one woman knelt and chafrd it> feet
another made bed Ior it with shaWls.
The porter brought pillows; Hebrew
drummer produced from his bag a bot
tie of laudanum, for which the doctor
expressed y wish, and even the poor
drunkard III the back Of the car urged
| his flask of brandy on the mother as be
ing "a iirst-rite medicine. ma am. =
| He looked At the child tor a minute and
| turned away. IN Il poor ioattr, he
said, .'but / kin feel for the baby as
much as any of you.
| In the course Of three oE fUur hours
| the child was relieved and fell into a
sweet sleep. But before that time the
passengers in the car ha.l all become liz
| nurses and kinstoik. When ii WAS out
| of danger and l,ing calmly in It's
| mothers arms they went ont 10 the
grassy bank by the side of the river and
| improVised 4 picnic.
Some of the men had found a farm
| house, 4 mile or two away and brought
some bread and ham; Il few Of the
other passengers opened their Satchels
and produced some dainty morsel.
| The jew had potted chicken: PresbE-
| terrain minister, oranges: a farmer pass
| ing had cheese. There was but little OF
each article AZ it WAS handcd around,
| but there Wa, abundance OF good will.
| They talked, told stories, ami one OF
| two who hal good voices sung.
When late III the evening. the engine
putfed and whlstlcd, and the conductog
| shouted ''Ali aboard - a company Of
| friendly companions crowded into the
car, and when they parted 4 few hours
later il was with many hearty hand
| shakes and q general exchange If good
| wishes.
What good. kindly folks they I'll
were - said the grateful little mother
| But believe II it had not been for my
sick baby they would not have found
each other out -
We are apt 10 forget that pain and
sickness are KEYS To- unlock the hearts
of men toward each other. The happy
prosperous man rarely knows of the
depth of tenderness which lies III hi
brothers bosom ready 10 meet bis call
! of need