Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-12-25


rive request the following story a
careful persual. Especially would
we have our young friends read it,
that they may initiate its example.
1t is seldom we meet with such a
Jewel in the world OF fiction. The
public are so liable to be imposed
upon by the numerous beggarS con-
stantlv thronging our streets, that
we discountenance the practice OF
extending to them the hand Of chari-
" until we repair to their homes:
then should we find them in want Of
the comforts of life, it is duty in
cumbent upon us to render such as
sistance as their necessities require.
-EDs.
1t was the morning Of a new year
that had Just set IN, bright, golden,
and beautiful. The snow gliitered
like ieweleG raiment in the cloudIess
sun. The Ginning of the silvery
sounds of the bells struck joyfully
upon the listener in every street.
The air was cold, though not pier
cling; bracing, though not biting--just
cold enough, in truth, to infuse life
and elasticity into every one that
moved.
There was a little girl, a child OF
poverty, on that beautiful new years
morning, walking the streets with
the gay crowds that swept past her.
Her little feet had grown numt. en-
cased only in thin shoes, and these
badly worn, that she could but with
difficulty move one before the other.
Her cheeks shook at every step she
took, and her lips looked truly pur-
pie. Alas. poor Elsie Gray! She
was little 6eggarl
Just like the old year was the new
wear to her. Just like the last years
wants, and last years sufferings,
were the wants and suferings of thisl
The change of the year brought no
change in her condition with it
She was poor; her mother was a
widow and an invalid, and the child
was a poor beggarl
In the old and cherries room
cleaned no bright fires of anniversa-
ry. No ever-greens, no wreaths. no
flowers. save a few old withered
ones. decked her time-stained walls.
There was no sound of merry voices
within the door to say 10 the Wild
ow Gray. ga happy New Year to
you, Mrs. Grayr' Heaven seemed
10 have walled her and her abode
out from the happiness that was all
the worlds on the festive day OF the
wear. 1t had provided, 10 all ap-
pearances, no joys, no congratula-
lions, no laughter, no gifts, no flow
ers, for them. Whyl Were they
outcasts! Had they outraged their
claims on the wide worlds charities!
Had they voluntarily shut them
selves out from the sunlight OF the
living creatures around them? No!
a shame take the world that it must
be so answered for them: Mrs. Gray
was poorl
Little Elsie stopped at times and
reathed her breath upon her blue
Ssberumbed fingers, and stamping
Nv feet in their thin easements
Athe force left in them; and
hsars stood trembling in her
eves for a moEnent, and
kly down her purple
as if they would freeze to
She had left her mother in
bed, sick, exhausted, and famishingl
Wha. wonder that she cried, even
though those bot tears only dropped
on the icy pavement. They might
as we'll fall there as elsewhere; the
many human hearts that passed her
were fully as icy and hardened.
She would have turned back to go
home, but she thought again of her
poor mother and went on, though
where to go she knew not. She was
70 become street beggarl Where
would street beggars go! What
strests are laid out and named and