Perhaps you know him...
We don't know his name, occupation or from whence he came, but we do know he was a gentleman, a man with a mother that he loved and respected; perhaps he had a wife and sister, if so they were fortunate.
He was sitting in a crowded car. An old lady, with a faded sunbonnet and basket, got on the car at the door behind him, at one of those country stations and walked slowly along up the aisle looking wistfully to the right and left. She passed the man's seat; he looked up at her, quickly glanced up and down the car, saw no vacant seat and immediately rose, touched the lady's arm and said: “Here's a vacant seat, mother.”
The old lady looked at the strong young fellow and said: “Thank you, dear, but that is your seat isn't it?”
“Oh no,” was the reply. That seat belongs to the railroad company, and they sold you the right to sit in it. I have been sitting for a long time and need to stand for exercise.”
The old lady took the seat. The young man put her shawl and basket in the rack, asked her where she was going, talked about the weather and crops, and listened to a long story about her daughter, whom she was going to visit, ten miles up the road. When the station was reached the young fellow took down the basket and shawl and assisted the old lady to the platform, shook hands with her and said good-bye and returned to the car. The old lady watched him as long as she could see him and turned to her daughter who was waiting for her.
Not a person on the car but admired the young fellow, would have trusted him anywhere, and all wished they had the manhood to do as he had done.
We don't know his name, occupation or from whence he came, but we do know he was a gentleman, a man with a mother that he loved and respected; perhaps he had a wife and sister, if so they were fortunate.
He was sitting in a crowded car. An old lady, with a faded sunbonnet and basket, got on the car at the door behind him, at one of those country stations and walked slowly along up the aisle looking wistfully to the right and left. She passed the man's seat; he looked up at her, quickly glanced up and down the car, saw no vacant seat and immediately rose, touched the lady's arm and said: “Here's a vacant seat, mother.”
The old lady looked at the strong young fellow and said: “Thank you, dear, but that is your seat isn't it?”
“Oh no,” was the reply. That seat belongs to the railroad company, and they sold you the right to sit in it. I have been sitting for a long time and need to stand for exercise.”
The old lady took the seat. The young man put her shawl and basket in the rack, asked her where she was going, talked about the weather and crops, and listened to a long story about her daughter, whom she was going to visit, ten miles up the road. When the station was reached the young fellow took down the basket and shawl and assisted the old lady to the platform, shook hands with her and said good-bye and returned to the car. The old lady watched him as long as she could see him and turned to her daughter who was waiting for her.
Not a person on the car but admired the young fellow, would have trusted him anywhere, and all wished they had the manhood to do as he had done.
