The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-02-07
THE TOUCH OF PITY.
Cold, Selfish and Unfeeling at Times,
the Public is Yet Gener.
GUS and Humane.

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proven nor entirely overthrown,
That this is true in the busy marts
of commerce and amid the rush
and hurry os cold practical business
life, as well as where nature trains
man to softer moods, kindlier
thoughts and more generous i'm
pulses, is shown by the following
article, which went the round of
the eastern press some time since,
and more recently appeared in a
leading magazine. The story is
told and vouched for in the follow
ing terms;
In New York city the other day
a young man wrote a letter to a
daily paper announcing that he was
willing to sell himself into slavery if
his mother could be provided for,
In city that is the money CEN
ter of the republic and the abode of
wealth he found himself unable to
get work He made energetic eff
forts in all directions, but failed.
He went on this quest during the
day and at night he returned to his
lodgings where his mother sat pa
tient and hopeful Day after day
he went about, without success, and
finally despair seized him. His mo-
ther must be supported He wrote
his letter to the editor, and in the
midst of thousands OF other letters
this one attracted attention
"Here was anitem Of news, a faint
touch of the sensational just
enough of the dramatic to stir the
curiosity or the sympathy of the
average reader. Here was a man
willing to sell himself into slavery if
the master would provide for the
poor old mother who had been so
patient and so hopeful.
"The editor printed the letter
and called attention to it, and it
was hurled under the nose Of the
public as rapidly as tightening
presses could multiply it, The re-
suit was what might have been ex-
pected, People who sat late over
their hot mullins in the morning
were struck dumb with amazement,
People who had to eat their break
fast on the run swallowed it with a
great gulp when they read the mans
letter.
There was in that simple and un-
affected appeal for succor the touch
of nature that makes the world
kin Those who say that the world
is cold and unfeeling, have neither
knowledge nor experience. Think
how many mothers there arel
Things how many have mothers or
precious memories of theml Cold
and unfeeling indeed! Why the
world IS tenderness itself. 1t may
be busy; it may be selfish at odd
moments; it may go into trade with
it's gaffs on; but it will melt before
what its genuine as swiftly as snow
THE man who wanted to sell him
self to provide a support for his
mother hit the world in it's tender
est spot, and the response was over
whelming The man was dazed and
overcome. The rich went to him
with money, the poor sent him mon
ey--everybody seemed to be anx-
ious to send him money and sympa-
thy On every side he found offers
of work
In his own lodgings, within sight
of the little room where his mother
had shared his misfortuncs with pa
tience and hope, he found offers Of
relief A working woman went to
him protesting because he had not
made his misery known, and, at
last, when he refused the dollar she
had brought to him. she fell to cry
ing with bitter disappointment be-
cause outside succor had reached
him sooner than that which lived
next door.
'Ah, you cynics who cry out that
the world is cold and selfish--you
realists who have expurged senti-
ments from your books Here was
a scene to open your eyes and to
bring confusion to your poor little
dogmasl The woman who wept
was not alone in her disappointment
the man was as genuine and as un-
selfish when relief came TO him as
he was before. He was happy, he
was delighted, but he would not
take money Some little sums that
came anonymously he kept, but the
rest he sent back Work was what
he wanted and work he got.
"And now the old mother is
comfortable and contented And
the world has once more shown that
il is full of tenderness-that it is