The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-08-04
THE HELPFUL WOMAN
6hE WAS roo ANXIOUS TO ASSIST
HER FELLOW MORTALs

Her Excessive Zeal I'm Looking After
the Welfare Of n Blind Man on n
Train Got Her Into Trouble With
the clustering Man.
knew a good oma once-God
never made q better-who on her Jour.
ney through life was always trying to
be helpful; always looking out to lend
1 hand to her fellow wayfarers and to
make the rough paths smoother and
easier for them. She was never so
happy as when she was making some
sacrifice or serving some other person.
sharing her strength with the weak or
her plenty with the poor, and some.
times she overdid It. For the purpose
Of Identification | will call her Mrs,
Jones.
While travelling between Utica and
Albany day. a blind IA was led
into the car and placed In the seat BE-.
hind her. Here was a chance for n
good Samaritan. and she seized It be.
fore anybody else got ahead Of her. She
saw that he was comfortably seated;
she opened her lunch basket and Of
fered him something to eat; she looked
al his ticket to see that It was right
and did everything else she could think
Of to show her interest IN a fellow be.
ing SO afflicted.
The blind man was going to Little
Falls. and eve Y time the train stopped
he would inquire ID an anxious way If
he had reached his destination. and
whenever he heard somebody passing
through the aisle he would ask how far
1t was to Little Falls.
Mrs. Jones was alert and answered
every question and assured him that
she would see to his perfect safety.
She urged him to be comfortable and
contented and promised to let him
know when his journey was ended.
When the train slowed up and q
brakeman yelled. Little Falls! she
pushed aside several otficious persons
who offered to assist her and. taking
the blind man BY the hand. led him out
to the platform and delivered him to
some friends who had come to the sta.
ton to meet him. After she had hidden
him goodby and returned to the car she
noticed In the seat he had occupied Il
well worn satchel. She seized 1t III.
stantly, rushed to the door and threw
It Off toward her blind friend on the
platform with as much force as she
could exert, screaming at the top Of her
voice:
You forgot your %satchel."
Then she returned and took her seat
in the car with the consciousness Of
having performed n Christian duty.
Pretty soon a rather rough looking
person, who had neglected to shave
that morning and chewed tobacco,
came back from the smoking cur and
began to look around curiously and In
an anxious way. Noticing that Mrs.
Jones vas watching him. he looked at
her in%quiringly and then said:
MADAM, have you seen a satchel
that vas left in that seat"
YES" she replied promptly. 1T be.
longed to a blind man, and | threw II
out to him Mt Little Falls"
1.-THE blank you did!' exclaimed the
unshaven citizen. whereupon Mrs.
Jones. perceiving that her friendly In.
terest In the blind man had possibly
caused some Inconvenience to h who
had two large, blazing eyes end was
addicted to the tobacco habit. began to
apologize. The stranger listened with
an expression IN his face Us II he re.
GREETED that murder vas out Of style,
and when Mrs. Jones had completed
her somewhat i%ncoherent explanation
he remarked:
MADAM. permit the to advise you
hereafter to mind your " blank
business, and let blind men and other
folks grlpsacks alone. | am going to
Utica to attend court today. nnd TINT
satchel contained oil the documentary
evidence In a case that Involves many
thousands Of dollars. have got It
continued twice on various ppetexts.
but II | go into court today ind toll the
Judge that | emit 70 on because Il
lunatic has thrown my grip ut a blind
man. he'll give me the laugh and my
clients will be robbed. Aud you are 10
blame for It."
Mrs. Jones protested. apologlzed ana
shed tears. ana when the conductor
came back and scnt u telegram 10 the
station agent at Little Falls 10 Ahd the
bag and send It to utlco by the next
train she took out hor %pocE",hook nnd
offered to pay all the expenses Slt
even offered TO leave the train aud ~
back to Little Falls herself nnd bring
the bug to Utlcn She was eager, aiN'
lous 10 do something 10 repair tht
damage and hid tho lawyer In snVlnl
his case, lie settled down IN Ills scat
chewed his tobacco calmly and lot hel
do all the idgellng,
When she reached homp and told th'
story to her daughter, she solemAlS
promised that she would never IVY u
help u blind man again Chicago hao
ord
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