Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-10

kicker, but be does IL principally 10 attract at
tention and draw people around HIM, 80 that
they may see that he handles a certain line Of
goods which are the finest in the world
lone of the pleasures of rny Office /. the re-
turning of Lost articles to their owners Our
force around the depot is exceptionally honest
when their circumstances are considered. and
il is rare. indeed tina; article left in the cars
by negligent Traveller docs not ind iis wav to
my Office IL II has escaped the ewes OF dis
honest co-trayeleT in the same car have re-
turned pocket books to poor people tina, we're
manifestly deeply embarrassed over their loss
and the pleasure of their glad looks would re-
pay any one with an honest hear; and clear
conscience. have never yet come across the
wealthy man who had lost valuable papers or
money who has not been profuse in his thanks
and rewarded the finder in the most liberal
manner They no doabt know the value Of
money. but have also the good. common sense
to appreciate honesty at its full worth"
ALMOST ANGELS.
These sutocrats of the depot come about
near to being angels as man can be that is
| employed around railroads. Always calm and
serene, their spirits always rule the scene.
matter how great the noise or confusion NAV
be. Even whom the turmoil il great that
you can hardly hear yourself think ask what
the news is and his answer nine times out Of
ten viii be: Everything is quiet" This is the
result OF having grown up with the roar and
becoming accustomed TO it
Ii is a very close guess TO make to pick these
men out as practical rsiiroaders who have
served their apprenticeship in the freight train
service. hrst a. a brakeman and then came grad
uaIly up through the higher positions of the
passenger service to that Of the master Of the
men and trains around the depot
Tell me something about your past life and
how you came to be selected for this position"
| the reporter said 10 one Of these gentlemen one
day recently. You are a public character
and the reading people always like 10 hear Of
persons they come in contact with
well, I'd rather not, he replied in quiet
| manner. I've got here the same a. many good
men before me, and BY attending TO my bust
| ness hope to retain NV berth"
characteristics railrosder's reply. surely.
How about your experience with travelers2
You see all sorts Of people, and they must fur
things, and consequently interesting per-
sisted the reporter
TO that question win reply YES" said the
autocrat Of the depot. Il suppose that on an
| average Of once a week something transpires
around this depot that is as full of news as an
egg Is OF meat and would read well in print
About the most impressive incident that has
come under my observation for years occurred
right outside my window, over there near the
entrance gate to the platform, about six months
or so ago. Your paper bad small paragraph
about it, but the details were lacking owing no
doubt. to the fact that no one took the trouble
to tell them TO one Of your men. 1 have wit
| messed some touching scenes in my time but
| this incident comes back to my mind persist
| emily and at close intervals.
SAD, SAD STORY.
"On the morning in question noticed q
man about thirty years OF age, apparently in
the best of health walking up and down outside
my window and frequently glancing up at the
Dig clock From his appearance 1 concluded
that he was Of foreign birth, and subsequent
Developments confirmed my surmise. he was
evidently awaiting the arrival of some one on
the train then due, but which was half an hour
late. He accosted the depot officers about
every ten minutes as to the arrival Of the
train.
FINALLY the train came putting into the
lower end of the shed. and the man glued his
face and body to the iron fence near the outlet
gate. All was confusion and hustle. and o. il
was heavy train many passengers came troop
ing down the platform. All Of . sudden
noticed the mans face light up with glad
look. and following his glance discovered that
it alighted on the face OF a pretty woman OF
about twenty-five years. and then to three
happy. heslthy-looking children st her side.
They were poorly dressed rs to quality, but
were amply protected from the frosty air.
soon the recognition was mutual and glad
cries came from the mother and little ones and
were answered back by the happy father. The
| next moment the husband and wife were in each
others arms. and the greeting was so earnest
and endearing that many Of the bystanders sup
| pressed the smile that was creeping their
faces and looks of sympathy took its place. The
couple at last finally disentangled their arms
from around each other and the father bent
down to kiss the eldest child a sweet-faced little
| girl. He had bat imprinted the Kiss upon the
| little ones rosy pouting lips, when he put out
his hand and grasped at one of the iron rods in
the fence near which the group had collected.
cry Of pain came from between his half-open
lips and his face took on the color Of death. His
| wife made movement toward him, but before
one step had been taken the poor fellow sank
| to his knees and then rolled over on his side
with one hand clutching at his breast.
mot a cry came from the mother and little
ones until the wife, bending over her husband
and had placed her hand to his heart, found it
| silent In death. May I never again hear the
wall Of despair that came from the woman 9
lips and the pitiful cries that followed from the
children.
"a doctor happened near by, and after q
hasty examination pronounced il a case of
heart failure, brought on by excitement.
II took the woman into my Office TO question
about her relatives but the terrible despair that
was pictured in her face almost made me shrink
from the task.
'she spoke a broken French and was hardly
Ineligible, but evidently well educated
Her voice was clear and sweet; that the broken
sobs and gasps could not mar. The children chung
to her skirts and the chair she sitting on the
eldest one moaning piteously, but the others,
too young to realize the situation, were looking
at me in open-eyed wonder.
From her story learned that she was from
q large town named Chsions, some distance
out Of Paris; that her husband was a stone
cutter and had come 70 this country six months
previous and secured work and had sent money
| regularly TO her to support the family. Finally,
both by stinting themselves had managed 20
save sufficient money to bring herself and little
children to America. The woman had no
relatives nor knew no one in this country.
"Her story affected me that 1 believe IL
hadn't had q wife and family at home TO look
after I'd made her marry me there and then.
/ comprised on taking up a collection among
the railroad men around the depot, which, to-
gether with her husbands effects. melted enough
to pay her passage over the ocean and car fare
on the other side to her home. I also secured
her free transportation TO New York.
I'm all my years experience as a rail-
roader," said the depot master, concluding his
story and putting on his overcoat, 40 the clock
above his head warned him that several trains
were nearly due to arrive, 81 have never come