Don't you think," he said, "that you
temperance and humane people lay too much stress upon the education of
our youth in all lofty and noble sentiments? The human heart will always
be wicked. Your Bible tells you that, doesn't it? You can't educate all
the badness out of children."

"We don't expect to do that," said the old lady, turning her pleasant
face toward him; "but even if the human heart is desperately wicked,
shouldn't that make us much more eager to try to educate, to ennoble,
and restrain? However, as far as my experience goes, and I have lived in
this wicked world for seventy-five years, I find that the human heart,
though wicked and cruel, as you say, has yet some soft and tender spots,
and the impressions made upon it in youth are never, never effaced. Do
you not remember better than anything else, standing at your mother's
knee the pressure of her hand, her kiss on your forehead?"

By this time our engine had arrived. A whistle was blowing, and nearly
every one was rushing from the room, the impatient old gentleman among
the first. Miss Laura was hurriedly trying to do up her shawl strap, and
I was standing by, wishing that I could help her. The old lady and the
young man were the only other people in the room, and we could not help
hearing what they said.

"Yes, I do," he said in a thick voice, and his face got very red. "She
is dead now I have no mother."

"Poor boy!" and the old lady laid her hand on his shoulder. They were
standing up, and she was taller than he was. "May God bless you. I know
you have a kind heart. I have four stalwart boys, and you remind me of
the youngest. If you are ever in Washington come to see me." She gave
him some name, and he lifted his hat and looked as if he was astonished
to find out who she was. Then he, too, went away, and she turned to Miss
Laura. "Shall I help you, my dear?"

"If you please," said my young mistress. "I can't fasten this strap."

In a few seconds the bundle was done up, and we were joyfully hastening
to the train. It was only a few miles to Riverdale, so the conductor let
me stay in the car with Miss Laura. She spread her coat out on the seat
in front of her, and I sat on it and looked out of the car window as
we sped along through a lovely country, all green and fresh in the June
sunlight. How light and pleasant this car was so different from the
baggage car. What frightens an animal most of all things, is not to see
where it is going, not to