Making Fan.

Otago Witness, Issue 1950, 4 April 1889, Page 37

Making Fan.

Once when travelling in a stage coach I met a young lady who seemed to be upon the constant lookout for something laughable ; and not content with laughing herself, took great pains to make others do the same. Now, travelling in a stage* coach is rather prosy business. People in the situation are apt to show themselves peevish and selfish; so the young lady's good humour was, for a time, very agreeable to the travellers. J&r&ty old barn was made the subject of a passing joke, while the cows and hens looked demurely on, little dreaming that folks conld be merry at their expense. Animals are not sensitive in that respect. They are not likely to have their feelings injured because people make fan of them; but when we come to human beings that is quite another thing. So it seemed to me, for after awhile an old woman came running across the fields, swinging her bag at the coachman, and in a shrill voice begging him to stop.' »„ ■ - The good-natured coachman drew np his horse, and the good old lady coming to the fence by the roadside, squeezed; .herself.-, through two bars, which were not, only in a horizontal position but.very:near together.. The young lady in the stage coach made some ludicrous,remarks, .and the passengwt laughed. It seemed very'eicuflable/for in getting through the fence the poor womin bad made sad. work witli heir old blaqi bosnet, and now, taking a seat beside a well-: .dressed lady, really looked, as "if, she^JWid* Tbeen blown there by'aTWhirlwind. uTlto'wai's. a new piece of funVand ttie gM» mSde''^Be. most 5 of it. ; She caricatured the; old; Tad J? upon a card rplreterid^when- stfe^-wasriioi-looking, to take patterns of her bonne^ and

in : various other ways .tried to raise a laugh. 'At length the poor woman turned a pale face toward her. 1 "My dear," said she, "you are young, healthy, and happy; I have been so, too, but that time has passed; I am now decrepit and forlorn. This coach is taking me to the deathbed of my child. And then, my dear, 1 shall be a poor old woman, all alone in the world where merry girls think me a very objeot. They will laugh at my old-fashioned clothes and odd appearance, forgetting that the old woman has a spirit that, has loved and suffered and will live forever." The coach now stopped before a poor-look-ing house, and the old lady feebly descended the 'steps. "How is she?" was the first trembling inquiry of the poor mother. "Just alive," said the man who was leading her into the house. Putting up the steps the driver mounted his box, and we were upon the road again. Our merry young friend had placed her card in her pocket. She was leaning her head upon her hand, and you may be assured I was not sorry to see a tear upon her fair young cheek. It was a good lesson, and one which I hoped would do her good.— Salem, Mass., Gazette.-