Year: 1873

Last summer / was travelling upon one
of our eastern railroads; the day was
warm and sultry, and the cars were filled
with the usual variety of interesting and
uninteresting passengers.


On the seat directly behind me was a
very respectable looking woman, with
two young children, one sturdy boy OF
perhaps three summers, and the other a
worrisome baby; the eldest seemed good
natured and patient, and though evil
IDENTITY tired, tried to amuse the little one
by playing bo-peep behind his hat; and
the mother, with the unselfishness which
mothers only know, was trying every way
to make the little one more comfortable,
but all of no avail


Directly opposite me sat q fashionable
looking party of young ladies and gentle
men, who seemed very happy among
themselves, laughing and chatting in a
social way.


Soon l noticed that the attention of
the party was drawn towards this mother
and her little ones Presently one of the
young gentlemen left the group-a very
elegant young man, fashionably dressed.
but with an earnest, serious look upon
his face-came towards the woman, and
said very kindly:


You seem tired ma am, and your lit
tie one there is tired too; let me have
him few moments, that you may rest. y
And she gladly passed the heavy baby
into his strong arms, and he danced it
about and played with it till it began to
feel quite bright and happy


The young gentleman, still holding the
child, asked the woman if she had to
travel far with the children. and if he
could be of any assistance to her.


She told him she had been living in
the state of Maine, had left home about
five o'clock that morning, and was on
her way to Maryland to join her husband,
who went there to get employment, and
now had a home ready for her and the
children, but the journey was rather
hard, with her two little ones.


"Oh, you will find kind friends he an
swered; 81 will do all that can to assist
you. After we reach Boston, go to the
ladies room, and l will see that you get
safely to the depot, where you can rest a
couple of hours; and then you have in
view husband and home at the end of
the journey"


The little child having become quiet,
was gwen back to his mother, and the
young man took his seat


The baby was good about half an hour,
when it commenced the same wearisome
wall as before, and the tired mother
looked quite disheartened. Then our





lief Now let me have the baby again"
he said, and he took the warm, tired
child to his own seat. The young ladies
each had kind word for the little one,
showed him pictures, and called the
other child to them. and filed their little
brown hands with cake; and the tired
mother looked refreshed and truly CRATE
full


As we came into Boston, the young
gentleman left his party in care of a
friend, and the last saw of him he was
walking beside the mother, who carried
the baby in her arms, while our noble
friend had the stout boy looking over
his shoulder, and they were making their
way to the saloon.


My thoughts often revert to that noble
young man, who poured the wine and
oil of true Christian sympathy into the
heart of that weary woman on her jour
ney. The deed speaks for itself; he had
indeed shown mercy to the lonely and
friendless ones. Have not you and |
opportunities to do similar kind acts p
american Messenger.