The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-09
WITH THE TRAVEL ERS
TRAVELLING men
ARE CHIVALROUS
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS LEAD
IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND
cHlvALRY IN THIS AGE
KNIGHTS or GRIP ARE Big
HEARTED AND GOOD.

There Is without doubt no class of
men who extend to humanity at large,
without regard to rank and file. the
same spirit of chivalry as do the
knights of the grip. The immortal
Raleigh spread his cloak before the
queen that she might not dampen the
soles of her shoes. Not so with the
modern salesman; he does not look for
queens to serve that he may immor-
talize himself in history. but looks for
those to whom his assistance may be
Of real value.
Take for instance in a crowded
train, it's the travelling man who first
admits he has only paid for half one
seat, and makes shift of his belong
ings that some one else may occupy the
other half. Watch the tourist or the
occasional local traveller and notice
how unwillingly many Of them divide
a seat with you. The whole seat is
not enough, they must have one to sit
in. If they are forced to give up a
portion of this space occupied, the
stare they give you makes you feel
like cold storage plant in January.
One January day as raging bliz-
zard was just lulling itself to sleep, a
belated passenger train was making
ready to pillow its way still farther
into the unknown. 1t became obvious
that those aboard might be forced to
spend an uncomfortable night stuck
in the snow. Seemingly the only
thought of the passengers were to
again get started on their journey. 1t
was just supper time No one dare
leave train as they expected to pull out
at any time. A gentlemen from Ken
lucky, commercial ambassador, be-
took himself to nearby restaurant
and there proceeded to buy several
sacks Of such eatables as they could
hurriedly prepare. He returned to the
train with his purchases and began
making a canvass of the car. He first
went to all those who were accompa-
MED by children, and ascertained if
they were in need of a bite of supper.
He then passed to the ladies, then to
the gentlemen, all at his own ex-
pense and all of his own accord. You
may call this chivalry. you may call
it big heartednes, call it what you
will. 1t Is merely characteristic of the
travelling man as we find him on all
such occasions.
An old Assyrian lady came into the
station in a small town carrying two
rather heavy grips; when she placed
her hands near the fire they began to
ache intensely for they were quite
badly frozen. Other ladies who were
waiting in the same room made no Of
fer OF assistance. A young travelling
man stepped to the door, gathered up
a handful OF snow, returned ana plac-
ed those bony, shrnnken fingers in the
snow with the tenderness that spoke
palmer than words, that he. too, had
mother old and gray.
There is no chivalry in such an act
as this. Chivalry is always accom-
panied by the trappings Of pomp and
splendor. 1t is simply humanitarian
ism with heart that beats warm and
true to mankind.
Volumes could be written on this
subject and every word of it be the
truth, but we are not introducing
these facts in defense of any counter
argument, but merely as compliment
TO the modern knights of chivalry.