The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-03
PASS Il ON. ,
AFTER MANY DAYS.
How A KINDNESS WAS REMEMBERED
ron MANY LONG YEARS.
youths Companion }

/ t1outh companion
After the close OF the Civil War
the North was filed with Southern
refugees, many Of them delicate wo>
men, reduced from sfli renee 10 prov
erty, and compelled TO caro- living
for themselves and their families
Ooe of these was niece OF Jefferson
Davis, woman Of unusual coltiva-
ton, who found q scanty ard pIeca>
rious subsistence by giving an oc-
casinaal lecture before 3 country al
dience on Southern life. Sheltered
and shielded IS she had always been,
the struggle with the world was q
hard one. Women were jus. begiL>
ming to appear on the public plat,
form and she was unknown and
frendless; but bravely she worked
on, asking aid from no one.
It. was a cold. clustering January
day in 1873 when, cold and shiver-
ing from an early morning DIVE in
t1e rain, an with her thin wraps
dripping Mrs. II, entered the Boston
train at a way station. All the seats
were occupied, some with bags but
dies and overcOats.
Trembling from weakness and
wearness, Mrs. H. supported her
self against the back OF seat as
the train moved off.
At that moment a gentleman
chanced to lower his newspaper, and
caught sight OF the black-Tobed wo>
man. Nth quick exclamation
re sprang to his seat removed a va
lise from the seat besiie him. and
Invited her to occupy it. As she
sank down exhausted, he carefully
wrapped his travelling rug about her.
She thanked hm for his kindness
aud be, turning to her said:
"Pardon me, madam, but you are
not SoltherGer?'
"Yes," she answered ~ am. l
suppose you knew it from my speech;
many people have done 80. 7"
''Tae accent is unmistak able,"
he replied; 'out pardon me again, are
you not long way from home.?"
"A long way ipdeed,' she replied,
and encouraged 10y his smypathetic
voice and manner. she added, 81
lost my all during the war, and u
there is no money in the South, |
came North to fad means to support
my fatherless children"
"And have you doae SOP be ask
ed In kindly manner
"After small fashion," she al
swered. 81 have occasional engage
ments to speak to country audiences
on life in the South during and be-
before the War
"Did you speak last nigh,!' he
asked.
Yes In \ - was the answer.
"And-I do not wish to be imper>
tiuent, but | an somewhat in the
same business myself, and | should
like to know, that Is if yoa wua!d
not mind telling me, how much they
paid you for your lecture"
Five dollars and the fare to and
from Boston," was the response.
Five dollars!' y he exclaimed.
"Whv, always get one or two hun
dred: and your lecture must be worth
2 great deal more than mine, for you
can give facts. While l can only
Furnish opinions"
"LittIe as 1t T." answered. Mrs.
f., Il am glad to get 1t; [ would
talk at this rate every night during
the winter
For while the man sat in silerce;
then putting bis hand in bis pocket
drew out a roll Of banknotes, and in
hesitating manner said:
Il don't want to be instrusive, but
one of the articles Of nv cree, is
that a woman is entitled to tue same
pay as man if she does the same
amount of work. My price for
nights talk is tgo hundred dollars,
and that SUN they paid me last night
at L: now if you will let me divide
1t with voa, | shall have had my
share, and the thing will be ever,
don't you seer
After muca urping acd m1ay
thoughts OF her needy little ones,
Mrs. II was persuaded to put the
roll in her purse bat 1T was not un'
I'll the end Of her j 'uEney that sue
examined the roll and found 1t
contain just one hand ed dollars.
Som4 years aftermard she aIscor-
that her nnknown heaefsctor was
Wendell Phillip, aut neing then
past the need Of nrlC, -he eesaytd !"
pay the debt,
:'Don't speak Of it, said Mr.
Phillip 81 had ,utlrely for aotteu
the iUCident.'
"rhat is very p7ohable she replied,
''but | have never forgotten 1t; that
money. aud still more your words OF