It was a very cold evening.
It
was
a
very
cold
evening
.
The old man's beard was almost frozen.
The
old
man
's
beard
was
almost
frozen
.
He was waiting for a ride across the river.
He
was
waiting
for
a
ride
across
the
river
.
The wait seemed endless.
The
wait
seemed
endless
.
The old man sat on the ground waiting.
The
old
man
sat
on
the
ground
waiting
.
Finally, he saw several horsemen coming.
Finally
,
he
saw
several
horsemen
coming
.
He watched them.
He
watched
them
.
He 1et the first one.pass by without even asking.
He
1et
the
first
one.pass
by
without
even
asking
.
Another passed by, and then another.
Another
passed
by
,
and
then
another
.
Finally, tile 1ast rider came near the old man.
Finally
,
tile
1ast
rider
came
near
the
old
man
.
The old man caught the rider's eye and said, "Sir, would you mind giving me a ride to the other side?"
The
old
man
caught
the
rider
's
eye
and
said
,
``
Sir
,
would
you
mind
giving
me
a
ride
to
the
other
side
?
''
Stopping his horse, the rider replied, "Of course."
Stopping
his
horse
,
the
rider
replied
,
``
Of
course
.
''
But the old man's body was half-frozen.He could not get off the ground.
But
the
old
man
's
body
was
half-frozen.He
could
not
get
off
the
ground
.
The horseman helped the old man onto his horse.
The
horseman
helped
the
old
man
onto
his
horse
.
He took the o1d man not just across the river, but to the old man s home.
He
took
the
o1d
man
not
just
across
the
river
,
but
to
the
old
man
s
home
.
As they neared the old man's house, the horseman asked, "Sir, you let several other riders pass by without even asking.
As
they
neared
the
old
man
's
house
,
the
horseman
asked
,
``
Sir
,
you
let
several
other
riders
pass
by
without
even
asking
.
Then I came up and you asked me for a ride at once.
Then
I
came
up
and
you
asked
me
for
a
ride
at
once
.
Why?
Why
?
What if 1 had said'no'and 1eft you there?"
What
if
1
had
said'no'and
1eft
you
there
?
''
The old man looked at the rider straight in the eyes, and said?
The
old
man
looked
at
the
rider
straight
in
the
eyes
,
and
said
?
"1 looked into the eyes of the other riders.
``
1
looked
into
the
eyes
of
the
other
riders
.
I quickly saw that they didn't care.
I
quickly
saw
that
they
did
n't
care
.
It would be useless even to ask them for a ride.
It
would
be
useless
even
to
ask
them
for
a
ride
.
But when I looked into your eyes, I saw kindness.
But
when
I
looked
into
your
eyes
,
I
saw
kindness
.
I knew that you would help me."
I
knew
that
you
would
help
me
.
''
The words touched the rider deeply.
The
words
touched
the
rider
deeply
.
"Thank you for what you've said," he told the man.
``
Thank
you
for
what
you
've
said
,
''
he
told
the
man
.
"I hope 1 will never be too busy to help others."
``
I
hope
1
will
never
be
too
busy
to
help
others
.
''
With that, Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the US, turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
With
that
,
Thomas
Jefferson
,
the
third
president
of
the
US
,
turned
his
horse
around
and
made
his
way
back
to
the
White
House
.
It was a very cold evening. The old man's beard was almost frozen. He was waiting for a ride across the river. The wait seemed endless. The old man sat on the ground waiting.  Finally, he saw several horsemen coming. He watched them. He 1et the first one.pass by without even asking. Another passed by, and then another. Finally, tile 1ast rider came near the old man. The old man caught the rider's eye and said, "Sir, would you mind giving me a ride to the other side?"  Stopping his horse, the rider replied, "Of course." But the old man's body was half-frozen.He could not get off the ground. The horseman helped the old man onto his horse. He took the o1d man not just across the river, but to the old man s home.  As they neared the old man's house, the horseman asked, "Sir, you let several other riders pass by without even asking. Then I came up and you asked me for a ride at once. Why? What if 1 had said'no'and 1eft you there?"  The old man looked at the rider straight in the eyes, and said? "1 looked into the eyes of the other riders. I quickly saw that they didn't care. It would be useless even to ask them for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, I saw kindness. I knew that you would help me."  The words touched the rider deeply. "Thank you for what you've said," he told the man. "I hope 1 will never be too busy to help others."  With that, Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the US, turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.