Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1851-12-31

: AA-SA @4A--A. q .1AS NGhClC0 tAAt AtSt ~
her howell. The cold breaths Of wind
whistled in at the cracks and ereyices and
keyhole before them, as if inviting them
in. They entered. A sick woman fee
bly, raised her head from the pillow. and
gave her a sweet smile. Elsie, have You
come p she family said.
Yes, mother, answered the child I;
Z and have brought this boy with mes--
L do not know Who he is, but he said he
wanted 20 come and see where We lived,
Did / do wrong to bring him, motherg
mo, my child said the mother, II he
knows how 10 pity you from his little
heart, but he cannot pity me yet-he is
not old enough yet
The bright-faced, sunny-heafted boy
gazed in astonishment upon the mother
and child. The scene was new TO him.
He wondered il that was what they called
poverty. His eyes looked sadly upon the
wasting mother, but they glittered with
wonder when turned towards Elsie.-
Suddenly they filed with tears,s The
want, the woe, the barrenness, the deso-
lation, were all too much for him. He
shuddered at the cold, uncovered floor
He gazed mournfully in the empty Ere
place. His eyes wandered wonderingly
over the naked walls, looking so uninvi-
tingly and cheerless. Putting his hand
in his pocket. he grasped the coin, that
his mother had that very morning given
him, and drew it forth. You may have
thatl' said he, holding it out to the
child. ta
ooh, you are too good You are too
generous, l fearp broke in the mother, rs
Il she ought not to take it from him.
Mother will give me another i'll want,
said he it will do you a great deal of
good, and know l don't need it. Take
It, take it you shall take It'll and he was
instantly gone.
1t was gold coin of the value of Eve
dollarsl
Mother and child both wept together.
Then they talked of the good boy whose
heart had opened for them on this years
day. Then they let their fancies run and
grow wild as they chose. They looked at
the glistenlng piece. There was bread,
clothing, and fuel in its depth. They
continued to gaze upon it. Now they saw
within its rim pictures of Joy and delight !;
visions of long rooms all wreathed and
decorated with flowers and eyergreens !;
visions of smiling faces and happy chill
dren,-of merry sleigh rides and the glis-
tening of bright runners over the smooth
worn snow. They listened they heard
the mingled sounds of merry voices, and
the Ginning music bells, the accents of in
nocent tongues, and the laugh ofgladsome
hearts. All ahat philosophers stone
was that coin, How it turned things irst
into gold, then into happiness How IL
grouped around them kind and cheerful
friends, and filed their ears with kind vol
ces How it garlanded all the hours Of
that day with evergreens and full blown
roses How it spread them laden table,
and crowded it with merry guests, and
those guests, too, all satisfied and happy
| o, what bright rays shone from that tri-
fling coin of gold. Could it have been as
bright in the child's or the mans dark
pocket? No; else it had before then bur-
ned its very way through, and lent its
radiance to others. Could it have shone
with such vision in the rich mans hands ?
No, else his ayarice would have vanished
at once, and his heart have oYerfowed
such as the widow and her child that il
wore such a shine, and emitted such
brilliant rays, and revealed such sweet
and welcome visions. Only for such as
they.
That night returned the angel boy 70
the bleak room, then filed with happi-
ness 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 happier was he himself.
How his little heart warmed and glowed
to see the child uncover the basket he had
brought with him, and take out, one by
one, the gifts that were slowed there.--
How overioyed was he 70 see his mother
offer the sick woman work and . new
home, and to see the sick woman sudden
ly grow very strong, and almost well un-
der the influence of their kind offers. He
wondered if their happiness could possibly
be as deep as his own, If their New Year
was as bright TO them as Il was 70 him.
He knew not how any one could be hap.
pier than he was at that moment.
Years have rolled away into the silent
past. That little girl-Elsie Gray-is a
lady. Not lady only in name, but one
in every deed, in heart, in conduct She
dwells in sweet suburban cottage and
her husband is devoted only to her. The
husband is NO other than the generous
boy who on the New Years festival ae-
costed her so tenderly in the street and
went home with her. Her poor mother
sleeps quietly in the church yard ; yetshe
lived TO know that God had provided for
her child. She died resigned and happy.
Are there coins, either Of gold or siI-
yer, that must be locked away from sight
on this day Of the new yearg Are there
containing within their depths such sweet
visions, such happy sights, they must lie
under lock and lev All this day. lest han.