Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-09
BLUE COAT covrn,sa WARM HEART.
Depot omcini wbos Helps the Poor
and tNccdy.


and hNccdy.
There Is an officiallat the union depot who
sometimes appears grnffs but this is for the
most part deceptive. Underneath the
broadcloth a warm heart is concealed and
his handsome face ofttimes lights up with
a smile which bellies the bushy mustache,
that bristles with authority when the out
going trains require "A "call." That quiet
relaxation of the facial muscles has proved
an expensive weakness to the man In blue.
Back OF the little blackboard used at the
station for announcing the time OF In
coming trains Is little memorandum. Upon
II is long line OF figures, which when
properly footed up show that the smile has
caused its owner an outlay OF $3l.S5. III
each small amount could a tale unfold II
would show how little waits, young girls
and many wreck of humanity has been
supplied with lunch at the neighboring
lunch counter. Many a countryman who
has found his little capital inadequate to
purchase transportation to his destination
has been sent on his way rejoicing by
contribution from this man In blue.
"Yes, l guess l am an easy mark said
he of the quiet smile a few days ago, but
then humanity, as 1t floats through this
place, Is not all ungrateful. An old woman
in a threadbare dress, with a basket OF
artificial flowers on her withered arm came
in here few days ago. / don't think she
had made sale that day. Her face was
pinched and haggard with hunger and the
abject poverty which everywhere pervaded
her person should have appealed to heart
of stone. She displayed her stock to the
hurrying tourists. They would have none
of it and the look of expectancy which now
and then came to the faded old eyes died
away as a coarse rejoinder killed every
new born hope in her breast. She even
tried her eloquenee upon the popcorn man,
but he feigned not to see her, as he sup
piled his patrons with an article more in
demand. At length in sheer exhaustion
she tucked herself away on bench in
quiet corner and dropped into fitful sleep.
1t was in this condition that found her.
l touched her upon the shoulder. Flowers,
yes, she had them for sale, would l buy|
No. l did not care for the flowers, but where
was she going?
"I wanted 10 go to Des Moines,' she an
swered, but the distance is so great and
have so little money The tears started
again. L have tried so hard to sell them,'
she continued, as she pointed to her basket
on the settee. And my friends. All, i
fear have none. Perhaps they are dead.
/ have sold no flowers in all this great city,
"She had had nothing to eat since Fri
day noon. 1t was then Saturday night.
/ soon fixed that. The fare to Des Moines
was $3.50. and when she clasped the bit of
pasteboard in her hand as / helped her on
the train Uulnk L never saw
expressed in human face to such a degree
as IL was in hers. She tremblingly
thanked me and said she would send the
money back to me from her first flower
sales 1 never expected it, yet strange
enough a week later l received the exact
amount, accompanied by a note, thanking
me all over again for a trifling act which
anybody would perform"
One OF the great overland trains came to
a standstill outside at this moment. The
hiss of the air brake and the tramp of many
feet cut short the conversation, while he
of the blue uniform was surrounded by an
eager crowd clamoring for information of
its departure. "Pas-s-sengers going east
by the Northw-w-estern route, tr-r-rain
standing on the fifth track"
He had assumed his official gruffness, yet
the kindly heart still continues to beat back
of the corporation brass buttons.