Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-12-24

they talked Of the good boy whose heart
had opened for them on this new years day.
Then they let their fancies run and grow
wild and revil as they chose. They looker
at the glistening piece. There was bread,
and fuel and clothing, and every other COM
fort, in its depths. Nowthey saw within its
rim pictures of delight and joy; visions OF
long rooms, all wreathed and decorated with
evergreens and flowers visions of smiling
faces and happy children sights Of merry
sleigh rides, and the glistening Outright run
ners over the smooth-worr snow. They
listened they heard the mingled sounds of
merry voices, and the Ginning music bells,
the accents Of innocent tongues, and the
laugh of gladSome hearts. All what a
philosophers Stone was the coin! How 1t
turned everything first into gold, and then
into happiness How it grouped around
them kind and cheerful friends and filled
their ears with kind voices How it gar
landed all hours ofthat day with evergreens
and full blown roses How 1T spread
them laden table, and crowded 1t with
merry guests and those guests, too, all
satisfied and happy! o, what bright rays
shone forth from that trifling coin OF gold
Could it have been as bright in the child's
or the mans dark pocket? No; else 1t had
before then burned its very way through, y
lent radlence to others. Could it have shone
with such visions in the rich mans hands?
No; else his avarice would have vanished
at once, and his heart have overhowed with
gene rosity! Mono; it was only to such as
the widow and her child that it wore such
shine, and emitted such brilliant rays, and
revealed such sweet and welcome visions
Only for such as they
That night returned this angel boy to the
bleak room, then fill with happiness and
lighted with joy; but he was not alone !;
his own mother was with him. Blessed boy!
He passed the whole of New Years day in
making others happy. And how much hap
pier was he himself How his little heart
warmed and glowed to see the child uncov-
er the basket he had brought with him, and
take out one by one, the gifts that were
slowed there ! And how overjoyed was ne
to see his mother offer the sick woman work
and new home, and to see the sick woman
grow suddenly strong anG almost well, un-
der the influence of their kind offers He
wondered iftheir happiness could possibly
be as deep as his own, iftheir New Year. s
was as bright to them as his was to him.
He knew not how any one could be happier
than he was at that moment.
Years have rolled away into the silent
past. That little glrl-Elsie Gray-is a Ia
dy. Not lady only in name, but one in e.
very deed in heart, in conduct. She dwells
IN a sweet suburban cottage, and her hus-
band is devoted only to her. The husband
is no other than the generous boy who on
the New Years festival accosted her so
tenderly in the street, and went home with
her, Her poor mother sleeps quietly in the
little church-yard; yet she lived to know
that God had provided for her Child. She
died resigned and happy.
Are there coins, either of gold or silver,
that must be looked away from sight on this
day of the new year? Are there any con-
tanning within their depths such sweet vis-
ions, such happy sight, they must lie under
lock and key all this day, lest happiness &
comfort may become TOO universal
Here Is one-where comes another.