Waterbury Democrat., 1901-07-02
THE MEANEST MAN.

s'I was the chance witness the other day." said New Orleans drummer, just in from a flying trip over his east ern territory, "of little incident that made a deep impression on my mind and struck me as being both curious and pathetic. I had dropped in at large notion store in city at the other end of my route, and while waiting to see the proprietor amused myself by watching the crowd that surrounded the Christmas toy counters. Presently my attention was attracted by mid dle-eged, worn looking woman whom l mentally sized up as an oyerworked clerk or stenographer from some big commercial house. She was decently dressed and her face was unusually refined, but it was unmistakably a case of genteel poverty of the extreme sort, and I surmised from the way she was pricing toys and examining her pocketbook that she was trying anX- iously to make very small amount of money go the rounds among large brood of children. After watching her awhile I became satisfied that such was the case, and l was wondering how in the world I could intervene as good fairy, without giving offense, when a sour-faced, elderly man at the other end of the aisle caught the eye of the clerk who was attending her and beckoned him away. The two held an earnest conversation. and in a few moments the clerk came back. It just occurred to me, madam,' said he, that we have some drummer's sam pies on another counter that I could let you have at a bargain. Suppose we take a look at them.' That piqued my curiosity, and I drifted along be- hind them to see how the incident would end., The clerk stopped before a long table heaped with miscellaneous toys. T believe you wanted five pres ents,' he said; well. you may take your choice of any five articles here for, say $2. They have been carried in drummers' trunks, but are really as good as new I am satisfied there wasn't toy on the table worth less than a dollar and realized, of course, that the drummer story was all non sense and the young man must be act ing under private orders. The wo- mans face lit up with pleasure and relief, and she soon made her selec- tions. After she went out I introduced myself to the clerk and tried to do a llttle pumping. was interested Ill that last sale you made, remarked, casually; do you do that sort of thing often? Well -er-no,' he replied in an undertone, glanclng over his shoul- der. It was little arrangement to oblige an old customer. He wanted to help the lady out. without letting her know about it. That was all I could extract from him, and the old fellow who had played Santa Claus on the quiet had meanwhile disappeared. Next morning. however, saw him on the street and asked friend who he was. Why, that's old - he said: the meanest man in the state He owns slathers of real estate and de- lights in grinding the very face of of the poor-a regular evicting land lord, and no mistake about it. One or two others standing near by gave him | the same reputation. I know this sounds like a rather stereotyped Sun day school story,'' added the travelling man, "and if | hadn't seen the incident wouldn't believe it. It's the first bona fide case of doing good by stealth ever encountered. New Orleans TimeS-Democrat