Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-24
IN THE WAlTING-ROOM.
Everybody Clipped In Something for
Lady and Two Children.

II was in the big Union Depot at st.
Louis. according to the New York Sun.
The waiting-room was filed, and in the
seats or on the floor near the wall
immigrants sat, some half asleep and
some locking about with suspicious
eyes. On the floor IN one corner was
n woman with a dark-brown SKIN and
black hair. Her dress was of old calico,
and a bright yellow handkerchief served
her as a hat. She had large gold rings IN
her ears. A big bundle wrapped with a
he'd quilt was in front of her, and on that
TWO little children were sleeping. The
woman was crying. and the children had
evidently cried with her until they fell
asleep. =,
one of the men at the station watched
her for some time and then went TO her
and began questioning her. She answered
bv signs and soon they were making
all kinds of queer gesticulations back
and forth he accompanying his move
ments with English words which she
did not understand and she accompanying
her gestures with queer foreign words
which he did not understand. After
awhile he sat on the bench beside her and
took off his cap and tucked II under mis-
arm. Then he slapped his hands together
loudly, and tho woman looked up at him
wonderingly.
LANES anu BtUllflntus Sdiii HCit
is lady and two children. / don't know
who they are or where they came from. 1t
NAV be Italy. 1t NAV be that she's q
Turkish lady. But she has no money, and
she has come this far and wants to go to
Denver, where her husband IS. She says
she's been robbed. or at least she makes
Signs that way; but you can believe
that or not. But here she is with her two
babies and nowhere to 60. IL Will take $50
to get her TO Denver and get food for her
and her babies. IL strikes me there's
enough human beings with their ladies
and babies at home to get this lady and
her babies 10 her home. l start with 90
cents, which put in the hat. Give us
your money ana be quick, as l am IN a
hurry"
He put half a dollar IN the hat and
started around the room. Nobody seemed
to have paid much attention to him.
Travellers that were talking went on
talking; those that were reading went on
reading. 1t looked discouraging to an
inexperienced eye. But as the man came
to each group hands were reached
into pockets and halt dollars and dollars
dropped into the cap. Those that wore
reading looked up long enough to give
something, and two or three that were In
another room came IN. inquired what the
fuss was about, found out, said - Is that
all Z" gave something, ana went away
again.
Pretty soon the cap was sagging so that
he had TO hold 1t with both hands. He
didn't thank anybody. and nobody seemed
to expect it, or indeed TO care anything
about the transaction. Finally he sat
down on bench and counted the money.
Then he stood on the bench and SAID !:
Ladies' and Gentlemen, Nineteen dollar s
and half. The lady is much obliged,
though she amt sayin' so, because she
can't"
lie turned the money into her lap. She
was staring with her mouth open. There
you are, lady, and don't get robbed no
more" he SAID, and weD' about his bust
ness. The woman stared at the money
for awhile, then, burst into tears.
She lifted it up in her hands and kissed
1t and let it fall SO that ITS chinking
woke the children. The man came around
again, and she caught him by the hand
and kissed it again and again. His face
got red, aud he said roughly, as he shook
her of 4: Let 60 of me and come get your
ticket. You cot no time TO monkey"