Gentleness is innate. It is reflected not in the complexion or appearance of a person. It is reflected in the deeds of an individual. A true gentleman is a paradigm of human qualities. He is endowed with benevolence, magnanimity, integrity of character, honesty and empathy. He is humble, polite and is a true portrait of kindness and virtues.

I was travelling in a train. In a berth beside me, a woman was travelling with her kids and lots of luggage. She was talking to another woman, who was a stranger. They both were busy gossiping and telling each other about their family affairs, sharing their joys and sorrows and complaining about their in-laws. Sometimes, they would burst into laughter and on the next moment, silence would fall heavily over the two ladies. Their kids were playing. When both of them were chatting and giggling, one of the ladies saw a man on the above berth who was listening to their gossip intently. The woman got suspicious of him. He looked like a rogue with unshaved beard, dark and thick mustaches, beady, pretending eyes and sanguine nose. He looked exactly like a devil.

At the next station, the woman got down to purchase something from the vendors. Suddenly, the man also got down. This made the lady more suspicious. She, at once, looked inside her berth and saw that her suitcase was missing. It contained gold jewellery. She was greatly astonished. Then, she remembered that when she was telling the other woman that she was on her way to Jaipur and was going there to attend her brother’s wedding, the man was listening very carefully. She was sure that it was the same man who had stolen her suitcase and no one else. I was observing what was happening. I thought to help her but my parents always instruct me not to talk to the strangers while you are travelling. So, I remained sitting at my place. I had to get down at the next station.

Finally, I reached my destination. Since, the train arrived before time, I was waiting for my parents to pick me up. I saw that the lady also alighted at the next station and lodged a complaint with the railway police. Nothing happened. She was sobbing and telling the police that it was her brother’s wedding. She was waiting at the station only with a hope of getting back her suitcase. I could see her children also crying along with her. But the lady looked so worried, looking here and there with all the thoughts muddled up in her mind. Then, she suddenly saw the man whom she took to be a trickster. It seemed he was coming towards her. She became tensed and grabbed her children. He approached her with a smile. He returned the suitcase to her telling her that the other woman she was talking to, was a trickster. He also told her that he alighted halfway of his journey because he had seen that woman getting down with the suitcase which was not hers. The woman thanked him and also apologized him for taking him as a trickster. He was a true gentleman.

Meanwhile, my parents arrived and I described them the whole incident that happened.

The crust of the story is that we should not judge a person from the circumstances as the circumstantial evidence is not adequate for the judgement of a person. The moral we derive from this story is that we should not judge a person by his appearance, but by his deeds.