The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-07-03
HER GIFT IS PATIENCE.
BELLA, THE WOMAN IN CHARGE OF
LADIES' WAITING ROOM.


Frantic. Rushing Women Every Day.
Despite All the Haste She Is Calm.
The presiding genius of the ladies'
waiting room at the New York Central
station at Forty-second street is named
Bella. 1t is to be presumed she has also
q family name, but no one knows what
it is. In fact no one cares. For thirteen
years she has been the friend and assist
ant of almost every child and woman
living between New York and Pough-
keepsie who travels on the railroad. She
Is q tall, slight woman. with pleasant
manner and kindly face, though how she
can remain so placid, answering so calm
ly the thousand and one questions ad-
dressed her in rapid succession, is puz-
zle.
In the first place, most Of the out of
town shoppers have all their purchases
sent to the waiting room, to be called
for at train time. These bundles are
put away in big closet, piled from floor
to ceiling with packages containing
every conceivable thing, from spring
bonnets to cream puffs. From to 5 is
the time to watch reunions between the
women and their belongings. Shopping
is over and every one is hurrying home.
Half dozen tired women and girls will
charge into the waiting room at once,
hastily inquire, "Where are my things,
Bella" and begin to arrange their bangs.
By the time the hasty toilet is finished
their dust coats and parcels are on the
big table, and the umbrella and over
shoes are on chair in the corner.
Every parcel has had the knots seen
to, lest they fall open in the train, and
soft or carelessly wrapped articles have
an additional heavy paper about them.
These are all handed over with pleas
ant smile and just the slightest possible
forward motion of one hand for the ten
cent fee, which is dropped into capa-
cious bag in the closet.
SOME PECULIAR CHARGES.
Ladies coming in for days shopping
usually stop in Il moment to get rid of
heavy wells and dust coats or to wipe
the cinders from their faces Lots of
them keep their own combs and towels
here, and repair damages as calmly as
if at home. Bella gives them little
critical glance, and perhaps makes q
suggestion. Then off they go, leaving
things scattered about-soap, comb and
train gloves-all of which will be found
in their own particular corners when
wanted.
There is one lady from Yonkers who.
is deaf and afflicted with an unquiet
spirit. She would not trust her comb
out of her sight for worlds; her soap she
dries and puts back in her pocket. saw
her the other afternoon run back four
times to see if parcel left in Bellas,
care had been safely marked and hidden.
Another kind of crank never knows
when the train goes, neither will believe
when Bella tells her, but always insists
ON that long suffering woman hunting
up a time table and proving her state
ment.
In striking contrast is the good ma
tured, easy going woman, who sauntersc
in, asks when does the next train go,
Bella?" and calmly reads a novel till the
bell rings. This is the woman who
leaves her small girl here while she pays
calls. The small girls enjoys being left,
and tells wonderful stories of her adven-
lures all the way home.
sat for an hour in the room one day
and saw canary and two children left
or called for, a school girl thankfully
recover lost exercise book, four men
plunge in under the impression that it
was the entrance to the elevated rail-
road. Cyrus Field hammer fiercely on
the door and inquire if the feminine por-
ton of his family had gone on, marvel
GUS number of hairpins replaced and an
almost endless stream of bundles handed
in by errand boys.
''HER LADIES'"
A nice old lady with curls gravely
consulted everybody in the room about
the weather and finally decided not to
visit some country friends till the next
day, as it looked like rain, and went
home, leaving her satchel behind so as
not to have the bother Of carrying it
back again. After her came couple of
girls who had evidently never been there
before, for one set the other to keep a
sharp eye ON her bundles while she made
a voyage to the ticket Office, and then
performed like kindly Office while her
friend visited the news stand. Then
they had their shawl straps frightened
and kept Bella busy for quite five min
utes attending to their wants, and de-
parted without thinking it necessary to
fee the patient attendant. AS she re-
marked pathetically, "All that travels
amt ladies"
Bearing this latter fact in mind, Bella
stands guard over half the basins and
toilet arrangements generally, reserving
them for cher ladies'" as she calls the
regular travellers. The ordinary public
people she does not include in her
fock-may not venture to remove the
stains of travel in these holy bowls, nor
arrange their bangs at that special glass.
A complaint was made not very long
ago by some one not of the elect at this
exclusiveness, but Bella appeared before
the authorities and defended her cause
so well that she won triumphantly, and
to this day the regular travellers have
their own little privileges that are cheap
at the cost Of daily dime and pleasant
greeting.-New York Recorder.