The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-03-20
HANDMADE SMILE.
The woman whose mission wss 20 Bene.
nj the Human Race.

She was about 40 years old. perhap
not so much. says the N. 1. Herald
but her face had look OF much and
cold experience In the world. q look
not at all disguised by the handmade
smile she wore like q veil. She waa
tall and well-dressed, but just tsf
oyer-dressed She came into fiies
Boston express at Bridgeport and
steered straight for seat beside nice.
white-haired old lady. although there
were six or seven empty seats In the
ear.
The old lady had little girl travel
Ing with her. and the train hadn't lefs
the station before she of the smile had
fed the child with candy and asked the
old lady II the pretty little girl was her
daughter. No. Her granddaughter
How strangei Then she edged up
valve OF talk. How old was the little
girIa Five years? How stranget She
herself had lost little girl of Just that
age-her only child. Children led to
home. Didn't the nice old lady love
homer And where was her homeP
Oh. Snnbury. Mass. Oh. indeed;
most beautiful place she had heard.
Yes. indeed. she did love home but
her own home had been broken up by
the death Of her child. and how she
and her husband were travelling try
ing to do good 10 the human race.
Didn't the old lady like to do goods
Oh. yes. If one had the means; that's
very true. And the old lady had some
means with which she bad tried TO do
what good she could? Admirabief
Splendid That's what she OF the smile
believed in.
About all the hoodgates OF talk were
wide open now. and the stream was
flowing smoothly. She of the smile
didn't care for money for herself. All
they cared for was to do good with
their money. Ii was so charming to
meet some one who held tha same view.
Now, one of the cherished plans for
the benefit OF the human race was the
establishment Of the old ladies' home.
Was that a benefieent projecfg Yes in.
deed So glad TO lind the old lady ap-
proved OF II. We had got together
about enough money to begin work.
Providence (walling her eyes) had
opened way by which the rest could
be secured. The way was thus: Years
ago her husband had come into
possession of gold mine. Shares In
this mine he was now disposing of at
800 each. They would be worth
81. 900 each within year. Then the
happy possessors could do just so much
more good for the human race.
The train had passed Mott Haven
now. and she of the smile was exhibit
ing considerable nervousness and
haste. By the way she had one of the
shares with her. Ps.haps that nice old
lady would like one D help along the
fund of the home. Ysith that she made
a reach into her vaiise. The tra:a was
| just coming to a stop in the Grand
Central station. The nice old lady
| got up. took her baggage and her
| granddaughter in hand. and leaned
over the still smiling benefaclor of the
human race.
II have to thank you. madame she
said for the most entertaining fter-
noon have spent in some time. But
l am not quite SO green as look. "
The handmade smile disappeared
then for the first time, and left face
that looked ten years older. and some-
what hard and cruel. And that was
the last the passengers who watched
the little drama with intense interest
saw of the nice old lady or she of the
smile.