A New Story of Thackeray.

Manawatu Herald, 26 July 1894, Page 3

A New Story of Thackeray.

The Million prints the following interesting anecdote, which it believes has never before been published :—

" As towards the end of October, a little over thirty years ago, the flight train of the Chemin de Fer dv Nord was about to leave the station , an English gentleman got Into a first-class compartment, and, stowing away his small valise, took his seat in one of the vacant corners. He noticed that on the seat opposite to him wag a gentleman who appeared to be ill. His face was deathly pale ; he was breathing very hard, and appeared to be in great pain- ••« Are you ill, sir ? Can I be of any assistance to you ? the gentleman asked.

•< • I am very ill,' the sufferer repliad faintly. •I am subject to a very painful malady, and feeling an attack coming on while in Switzerland, I resolved to go home— to England. It generally gives me a week's warning. But I feel I shall not reach Calais alive.'

" • But you must not go on, my dear sir,' said his fellow-traveller feelingly. ♦•• 'I am a perfect stranger in Paris. I have come right through from Geneva, and I do not know a word of French,' replied the sick man, almost in a state of collapse. ♦♦ ' It will never do for you to travel in that state. Come, lot me help you out before the train starts.' " The kindly gentleman was not a moment too Boon. But by the friendly aid of a porter he got the sufferer out of the train, placed him gently in a cab, and had him taken to the hotel whioh he himself had just quitted, and where he knew the aiok man would receive every attention. Caring for him on the way with all the tenderness of a woman, he bade him cheer up, for he knew a physician who was one of the highest authorities on the particular disease from which he was suffering. «• All the night the gentleman was exceedingly, ill, nor did he improve much the next day. The following morning a relation of the sufferer's— who had been telegraphed for—arrived, and the kind-hearted gentleman, who had put off his journey to England, thrown away his railway fare, and spent two nights and a day almost constantly by the sick man's side, handed over the sufferer to the care of his friend. " Then, and not till then, did this golden-hearted man decide to resume his interrupted journey." 14 Going into the patient's room in the evening to bid him good-bye, he said :—

"« I must now wish you iarewell, fi I have important business in ondon. I wish you a hearty Godspeecf towards recovery.' "The sick gentleman was still extremely ill, and not able to do more than press his benefactor's hand and whisper a few words of gratitude." 11 The relative of the patient, however, who was no other than his sister, followed the gentleman out of the room, and Baid :— 11 • You have not done me the honour to tell me to whom I and my brother owe so signal an act of kindness as that which you have ■hown to an utter stranger. Had you not so generously and so disinterestedly taken compassion on him, I fear his relatives and friends would never have seen him again alive. In thanking you again for your kindness, therefore, I should like to know to whom we are so much indebted. Besides, you forfeited the cost of your railway ticket. If you will allow me to reimburse you the amount -' "< Do not mention it,' said the gentleman ; 'itisof no consequence.' " 'You will at least do me the pleasure of permitting us to know your name V _ •« ♦ Certainly. I will give you my eara?' ■" With these words the gentleman took, o«t his card-ca3e and handed the lady fcie l card. She read upon it the name, ' William Makepeace Thackeray. 1 "Xfc wfcs some weeks before the invalid waß well enough to resume his journey ; but after his return to England one of the first visits he paid was to call upon the great npvelist, in company with his sister, to thank him personally lor the great kindness he had shown him, when, as he believed, he should have died bat for his timely assistance."