The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-03-16
AN INNOCENT IMPosTER.

AN INNOCENT IMPOSTER.
There had been a railway accident at
Grove Hill. Upon the ground, upon
rough boards hastily covered with
sbagls and wraps, upon car seats
wrenched from the cars, in every attitude
of death snd suffering, lay the victims Of
the disaster, while those who had escap-
ed injury, and the neighbOring people
from ali sides, moved busily about minis
tering to their wants.
One group Of three people were a little
apart from the others. An old woman,
with terrible cut upon her face, hastily
bound up with a coarse handkerchief.
was bending over q girl Of sixteen, who
lay unconscious upon the ground, moan
ing feebly. She was pretty, delicate
giIl, her face white and still, her eyes
half closed, and her rich, brown hair fall
ing in tangled, waving profusion upon
the grass
The doctors made hasty examination
and put her back gently upon the ground,
exchanging one significant glance, and
promised the old woman to come back
again.
Evidently working-women and poor,
were these two of the group. But the
third one, standing beside the old woman
was as evidently a lady, with q gentle,
refined face, soft white hands, and the
dress Of rich material, and fashion snita-
bic to woman Of wealth. 4 wide hat
shaded her face, but she wore no gloves
or wrap ofany kind
She did not speak as she stopped near
the moaning girl, and the old woman
sebbing over her, but she put handker-
chief, wet with strong perfume, in the old
woman's hands, and stepped back to
open a sachel she carried. Soon return
ing, she said
That's right she may revive # she
smells that. And now, let me see your
face
Hands cool and tender removed the
coarse bandage, wiped the blood away,
drew the cut together and dressed it with
sticking plaster, A soft, fine handker-
chief replaced the blood-soaked one, and
then the lady asked:
Have you any other hurt ?"
"No. ma'am Heaven bless youl But
Mary Oh, look at her, dear lady Mary (!
Speak to your granny, darling Oh, my
dear child, she's dying! Oh. Mary, can
the good Lord leave an old woman ike
me, and take you away? Oh, Mary,
Mary
AZ am afraid she is badly hurt, the
lady sid, but will have her carried
where she can have proper care at once
If I call my men, who are here TO help all
they can, TO carry her, can you walk as
far as the white house you see onthe hill
there ,"
~0h, yes, dear lady"
That is nv house, and l am sending
as many as I can there. In few mo
ments I will come back to have your
daughter carried there"
aMy grAndchild, dear lady"
But the lady was already on her way
to a group of men who were directing
the removal Of some Of tie injured pas
sengers to the houses in the neighbor'
hood already open to receive them. Two
men and a cushioned car seat were at
once sent TO carry Mary TO Mrs. Van
Ritter's, and gradually the ground was
cleared of the victims of the railroad
accident.
For four weary weeks Mary Byrne lay
in a state Of terrible suffering from severe
internal injuries, nursed by her grand
mother, but every want was supplied and
the most tender interest shown by the
lady who had opened heart and purse as
widely as her doors when she received
six Of the wounded women into her
beautiful home al poor women, unable
TO give her more than thanks and bless
ings. as one by one they recovered and
resumed their journey.
Only Mary Byrne and her grandmoth-
er remained, for the injuries received by
the girl we're fatal, and there remained
nothing to do for her but to make the
little span Of life remaining as easy as
the kindest care could make it. The old
woman's story was q very simple one
She had been a nurse in hospital IN
New York, and transferred to another
hospital in a smaller town. Mary, her
dead sons only child, had been given a
place in the kitchen Of the new hospital.
and they we're on the way to their laborsi
when the accident threw them upon Mrs.
Van Ritter's care.
Common people, you see; very com
mon people; and Mrs. Van Ritter was
the widow Of millionaire, the niece Of
one of New York's merchant princes
vet. had the suffering girl been Of heI
own family, the dainty little lady could
scarcely have done more for her.
Every dsy she took her turn in watch
ing her while her grandmother rested
Every direction of the doctor was care
fully followed. medicines. nourishment
and whatever was needed, being Of the
best to be obtained and when all VA
over the quiet but appropriate funera
was al Mrs Van Ritter's expense, ant
her own white hands put flowers in th'