The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-03-07

How FREQUENTLY we hear the re-
mark. "dO not trust strangers story
no matter how plausible it may SEEM
you will be deceived" and how MANY
a poor wretch has been driven to de-
Spair, crime and suicide simply because,
When in dire distress, through some
misfortune, or peculiar circumstance
he has been forced to seek aid from
stranger, and his story being dis
credited, he has been forced into the
commission of some act, to save life,
and that has wrecked his whole future.
Is it right, is it just to condemn a
fellow creature simply because we have
no knowledge of his past; when
perhaps few friendly words of advice
and encouragement, or some slight as
sistance may bring balm to his
heart? That it is perfectly safe to
trust strangers, to place confidence in
human nature is amply shown In the
following clipping from one of our ex-
changes:
Mr.. Lew. Hopkins of the firm of
Bofnger & Hopkins, while waiting for
his train in the Big Four depot in
Chicago went to the telegraph office to
send message to Cincinnati. He
wrote the message, and as he presented
tito the young lady clerk at the counter.
a young lady who was an entire
stranger to him, she exclaimed: 81
wish you would talk to that young
woman, pointing to a woman very
plainly dressed, just outside the counter
who seemed distressed and who was
standing not far from the young lady
clerk. why should | talk to herr
inquired Mr.. Hopkins. Because she is
in Distress was the answer, that is
evident; perhaps you can help her. She
has enlisted my sympathy MIR. Hop
kins complied with the request, and
was at once informed that the young
woman was in strange city without a
penny and on her way to her old home
in Detroit. She had just come from
Iron Mountain, Mo-, whittier she went
several months ago to make for herself
and had started for Detroit. Hel
money gave out in Chicago. She tol(
!, Mr.. Hopkins that she had been do
LlOoClC 1OI SONCldl yCdio III q DOCIO VI
family, and showed him savings
bank pass book, in which she was
credited with $35. Her story wa!
plausible, and Mr.. Hopkins believed it
He handed her $1U and his Cincinnati
address and took his train. He com
municated the fact that he had believed
in an entire stranger to skeptica
friend and got laughed at, but las
Tuesday morning letter came from
Detroit and it contained $40 pOsta
order, together with the earnest thanks
, of a grateful woman.
There is no doubt of the truth Of tn,
, above story, yet, how many supposed
2 to be good, christian people Their
, are, who would have Inundated an(
insulted that young lady, stranger
: pennileSs and alone as she was, by re
ferring her to the police authorities, o
to some charitable institution, o
perhaps have discredited her story al
, together and told her so, and have lief
her to become the victim of some un
t scrupulous scoundrel? They are legion
$ and it is done every day. 1t is tn
greatest curse of our age, that almOs
every man, and woman too, has littl
: confidence in the sincerity or honest
9 of a fellow creature: the cOnstan
9 struggle is self, self, self We are al
Q 81 am holier than thou and this with
! out moments thought, that our yer
/. distrust of our fellow is dishonest, il
h that we rob him of what rightfully be
y longs to him, until proven contrary
: an honest intention and purpose. Their
= are thousands of cases today, wher