The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-09-17
The Fruits Of Sympathy.

The Fruits of sympathy.
1t was very wet. very cold, very
wretched. Jimmie was very wet,
very cold, very hungry. So were
Billy and Chick. Chicks real name
was Charles. The three sat huddled
together on one OF the stone steps
at the foot OF the great stairway
that led to the train-shed. At least.
the pelting rain could not reach
them there. Hurrying passers furl-
ed their wet umbrellas as they
mounted the stair.
They're all a-goin' some'ers, and
when they git thar. thers'll be lights,
an fires an things ter eat-oh.
Jimmiei"
1t was Chick who spoke. He was
the smallest OF the three. and he
might be pardoned for INDUCING In
lamentation.
Well. amt axiom home after a
while, you Chick?"
IT'S jest as cold there as It's here.
an there amt Ruthin' ter eat, nuth.
err" grumbled Billy.
"Oh, you fellers make me tired"
This was Jimmie aEain. Cant yer
pretend a bit-s'posin' Their was to
be all them things-we can't never
tell what'u happen while we're gone
an Their might be some folks at
don't even have a house to sleep in. "
1t was growing very dark with the
early shutting In of the January
night.
Come on. then: let's 60 homo.
said Billy.
The three urchins struggled slow
ly to their feet. But the bright
lights In the great waiting-room
were too alluring for poor Chicks
bravery.
please. Jimmie. let's 90 In fer q
minute. jes' ter git a-warm," whis-
pered the little fellow.
| The older brother. himself 80 tiny
and SO pitiful. yielded. The three
strayed in among the travellers
shrinking into dim corner beside
a convenient register, they fount
themselves close beside something
that looked like a woman--it wal
hard to tell. SO damp. so huddled
so hopelsssly congiomerate was. thu
heap Of clothes piled upon the wait
ling-room bench Presently the heal
moved; set up. 1t was q woman.
limp and broken feather trailet
weakly over her disheveled hair. Red
bcny hands showed no covering o
gloves. Her cheeks were solder
with weeping. Her shoes were a
broken as Billy's own. With tn
friendliness of childhood, Chick ap
lproached to investigate this misery
When he returned to his brother
land the register. his brown. eye
were wide with sympathy.
| She's worse'n We be; she amt 80
no place to go. n no money. n nc
body to look after her, n her man
dead, n she's orful scared an lone
some"
well, we can't do nothin'-w
amt no place for her. home" Sc
Billy.
. There was a thought manifest 1
; Jimmie's face.
"Say. you fellers-Miss Annie
j.. over ter the mission school. she say
. tier slug when folks Is down. Let
sing to 'er-maybe itll hesrten he
3 tup bit"
II And then, slowly, sweetly, thor
= sounded on the ears Of the hundred
2 lof waiting people in the station th
. sweet old words:
LEAD kindly Light. amid the enciI
cling gloom
Lead Thou me on"
Billly's alto and Jimmy's tent
= blended smoothly with Chicks chill
ish soprano. The hubbub OF ii
Ithrong in the station alackene'
Wondering men and women follo'
. ed the music to the corner whel
i the three small urchins stood. the
: heads together, their ragged caps
their hands, their upturnA fac
't streaked. where the rain had washs
burrows in the dirt, singing, appa
Iently oblivious Of their audienc
Unconscious they were OF all exec
the song they sang and the woms
e whom they sought to comfort.
II When they came hack to Co
= sciousness, however, it was to q
e gage in an active scramble for Il
y nickles, dimes and quarters tn
}, rang upon the stone door. II
hearts Of the crowd had been touc
ed to generosity.
Say, fellsrs. me for Child's!"
AN we'll buy some coal, an tai
y lit home ter make q fire."
But Chick said softly to t
wrethched woman on the bench:
70 Here. loidy, yer en- have Z
u share-you need it more'n I does
~ Central Presbyterian.
The Caucasian for IS cents nm