Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-07-03


toward the fire.
'"Its dood and warm here she said
with face all smiles and dimples as /
stopped beside her.
"'Thats right, get all warmed
through, / said patting her on the
head, then turned to the mother again.
She had shifted the baby to her left
knee and was carefully searching her
pocket; troubled. anxious expression
came over her face, then one of alarm
followed.
~ had ten cent piece in my pock-
et-book. she said looking up, but l
can't find it; I'm sure / put it here;
I'm afraid. and her lips trembed and
her eyes began TO fill with tears. I'm
afraid I've lost it,
Her distress was so evidently gen.
uine could not believe she was play
ing off as so many had done before,
and / said pleasantly: Look again.
madam, you will probably find it
somewhere and / turned. catching
the eyes of the president watching me
sharply.
"The woman turned her pocket in-
side out. got up and shook her dress
then looked carefully over the floor. as
did several who sat near her. stop
ped the car to help on and off several
passengers, then came back to the
woman. She looked greatly troubled,
and l could see only restrained her
tears by great effort.
IL cannot find it, she said looking
up at me with trembling lips, i saved
IL out on purpose for this ride, and
put it in my pocket-book just as |
started. but it's gone, and / must have
lost it. :"
What was l to dop The woman
seemed honest enough, yet had seen
others equally so who proved to be inn
posters; then there were the sharp
eyes of the president upon me. and if
faltered in my duty off would go my
head, with no chance of the promotion
was hoping for.
""The rules are to put off all who do
not pay managed to say with as
sumed firmness. while all the time |
felt rs if would like to pitch the pres
ident off neck and heels instead of the
woman. I'm sorry, madam, but the
rules must be obeyed.' Il know it, /
know it, she said piteously. but if you
would let me ride up could pay you
when | come back; | shall have money
then. pointing to her bundle of work
to prove her statement; It's such
long way, and I'm so tired, she
pleaded, and there was the chubby,
dimpled face of the little girl smiling
up at me all the time.
Il felt us if | would like to kick N.Y.
self rs turned away; if / only dared
appeal to the president, but no! none
of the men were supposed to know
piercing me through and through as if
he delighted in the test | was passing
through.
Hang the old rascal, / said to N.Y.
self, I'll have to put the woman off,
but I'll slip quarter into Puss' hand
so they can pay their fare on the next
car
"'I'm sorry madam. tried to say
firmly, but the sad, pleading look al
most broke me down, the rules must
be obeyed, and | reached up to pull
the bell rope; but in an instant the
younger of the two women, of whom |
have before spoken, caught my arm.
mo nor she cried with flushed
cheeks and indignant eyes, and before
l knew what she intended she emptied
her purse into the woman's lap and
passed quickly out of the car. A per-
feet shower of coin-several dollars, ut
least, fell rafting down part falling
on the floor. | stopped to pick it up,
when the elder lady dropped several
more pieces into the woman's lap and
followed her companion. The poor
woman looked up. dumb with amaze
ment, then covering the money with
one hand. dropped her face on the
baby's head aud sobbed so she shook
from head to foot. The little girl, SEE
ing her mothers distress, crept up
close beside her and with her little
arms about her neck. and her cheek
nestled against hers tried to comfort
her.
Don't kwy, mamma she pleaded,
I'll be so dood, don't kwy.'
Il don't believe there was dry eve
in the car; the women didn't hesitate
to carry their handkerchiefs to their
eyes. but the men looked ont of the
windows, drew their hats down over
their eyes, and some blew their noses
vigorously, the president giving the
strongest blast of all. As for myself,
just rung in a fare out of my own
pocket, and went out on the platform.
thankful that it was cold day could
use my handkerchief freely.
"At the next street the president got
out and as he passed the little girl he
stopped and patted her rosy cheeks,
with some pleasant word, and slipped
something into her ,hand. A moment
later, when | had occasion to pass
through the car again. the little puss
held out her chubby hand. 'Seer she
cried, with her pretty face fairly
radiant with delight, % see my bright,
new pennyr looked; it was five
dollar gold piece.
"rhe mother noticed it for the first
time.
"'Where did you get itP' she asked
in establishment.
"'E big man div it to me- the little
one answered
80 sir, do YOU know who it was?
the mother said, appealing to me. at
must be a mistake
mot bit of it, answered, almost
as delighted as the child. herself. it
1voo tbo ,,rasidant of thiS road. ha