The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-29
A FRIEND IN NEED
Just a Bit of Life as II Cropped
Out on a Railway Train.
A TOUCH OF REAL HUMANITY
The Rousn Looking Man Who Proved
That HIS Heart Was fig ane In the
Right Place and the Shabby out
Grateful Foreigner He 9etriended.

whenever hear anything nova
days about mans inhumanity &C.
man." said a Providence citizen the
| other day, Il am reminded OF little
! incident. ! was coming back from
Boston with friend on the midnight
train. and, getting Oh board AT the
Back Bay station. we found seat
near the rear end OF the car.
Soon after the train pulled out |
happened to look around and saw the
conductor apparently expostulating
with rather shabby looking specimen
OF humanity who was sitting In the
last seat. At first thought the man
was drunk. but as | watched | saw
that he was foreigner who couldn't
understand English. He was holding
out crumpled one dollar bill to the
conductor and saying New York over
and over again
FINALLY the conductor shook his
head. said something ! couldn't catch
and went on. The foreigner, a rather
decent looking young fellow, gazed mt
him despairingly. then buried his face
In his hands and began to cry. with
the usual callous indifference of the
travelling public to the troubles of any
one else. ! paid no more attention tn
the man and prepared to take a nap
II was just beginning to doze when
became aware that man was stand.
Ing beside me In the aisle. speaking to
me. sat up and looked at him. He
was a rough appearing man. far from
prepossessing. clean shaven. with q
sort OF bulldog face.
Say. gents he began. Il want TO
know IL you wouldn't like to help fel
Ter ou.'
u stlfened instinctively, determined
to refuse to let him make a touch
"There's poor young foreigner
back there. he went on with a Jerk OF
bis thumb toward the alien. still sit,
ting with bowed head. and he's up
against 1t for fair. He can't speak
word OF English. and he wants to 20
to New York. where he has friends
HE got the Idea somehow he could
Go IL for dollar, all he's got: but. OF
course. he can't. and they're going to
put him OF the train when we get 10
Providence. It's mighty hard on feI
Ter like him. and there amt any tell.
Ing what'll happen TO him getting put
or In strange city at ! O'Clock In the
morning ! thought maybe you'd be
willing 10 give n little TO help him
along
He stopped. looked us straight In
the eve and smiled sheppishly as II hp
were ashamed OF what be was doing
We gave him a dollar. and he went on
through the car. and there were few or
the passengers who didn't respond To
the appeal He came back counting
the money. and as he got to our seat !
heard him say:
There's a dollar more needed-i'h
make II mp myself and he pulled ont
a couple OF tfty cent pieces and added
them TO the amount
"The conductor and the brakr,ran
were standing az the door OF the car
near the foreigners seat.
Here. said the man who hnd cuI
leCtrd the money TO the allen: give me
your dollar.
"Dumbly. but truStingly. the young
fellow handed II over. ana. giving IL
TO the conductor with the rest. the bun
dog man said Gruilly:
There's his fare
1T slowly dawned on the alien what
had been done tor him. and as the con
ductor punched the rebate check ana
handed II to nim the gratitude In hts
face was indescribable He couldn't
speak. hut he took his cap OF aud
bowed again aud again to the official.
but the latter pointed 10 the passenger
who was sitting ~ his seat across the
aisle aud told the youth that he was
the one TO thank
The foreigner crossed the aisle I'll.
he stood Spuarely ih front OF his bcue.
factor. took oil bis cap and. with tears
or gratitude IN MS eyes. bowed again
aud again IL WAS evident enough TINT
the bcur,artur was embarrassed hy
this unexpected OutburSt Al FIRST he
waved ms nnud around the car 20 iudI
cate tIat Pvprvbody uad had hand I'M
II But Gr cOuldu't make the foreigner
understand The latter Kept on bow
ine. wherrupun the uncomfortable ~
dividuaI ~ the seat gruutcd and turn.
cd To look Out Ot the window
- have never Scen," concluded the
man who was telling the story. II
Eindlicr n were u girl should say Il
SWeetcr aCt ~ charity IN my life Sit
tlnE across the aisle. this hard faced
mau mad heard the story OF the for
ei"ner. helpless. alone ana frightened.
ana ont OF pure goodness Ot heart.
without any necessity for doing II. he
had taken upon himself the ungrateful
TASK oi soliciting money from the rest
nt the Iauplp I'm that car 10 hpln out u