The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-01-01

| "Dut tcsu, replled the manly boy
l"Where do you liver
"Will you 60 with me Z" asked Elsie, hs
face Frightening.
"Yes; let me 60 with you," said he
i"shpw me the way!'
Through street, lane, and alley sh.
guided him. They reached the door o
their hovel. The cold breath Of the wint
whis.led in at the cracks and crevices ant
key hole before them, as if inviting then
in. They entered. A sick woman feebl,
raised her head from the pillow, and gave
her sweet smile. "Elsie, have you Gomez
she iainlly said.
ayes, MOTHER" answered the child; "ant
have brought this little boy with me.
do not know who he is, but he said he want
ed 10 come and see where we lived. Dit
| do wrong to bring him, mothor?"
mo, my child" said The mother, ''if b
knows how TO pity you from his little heart
but he cannot know how 10 pity me yet
he is not old enough"
The brigh,-taced, sunny-hearted boy
gazed in establishment upon the mother and
child. The scene was new to him. lie
wondered il this was what was called por
erty. Ills eyes looked sadly upon the
wasting mother, but they giitered with
wonder when turned towards Elsie. Sud
denly they filled with tears. The want,
the woe, the barrenness, the desolailon
were oil too much for bin. lIo shnddered
a, the cold uncovered floor. He gazed
mournfuly into the empty fireplace. Ills
eyes wandered wonderinglv over the ma,
ked walls, looking SO uninyi,ing and cheer.
less. Putting his hand into his pocked. he
graspcd the coin that his mother had that
very morn given him. and drew il forth
: You may have tha,m said he, holding i,
nut 10 The child.
.Oh. you arc too good! You are too gen
erous, fesr!' broke in the mother, as II
she ought no, 10 take il from him.
"Mo,her will give me another If want.
said he; sit will do you great deal Of good,
and know don't need il. Take il, take
'i!yoI shall take it, and he was instantly
zone.
II was gold coin of,he value of five dol
lars!
Maiber and child wept together. Then
II ey liked of the good boy whose heart hne
opened for them on this new years day
Then they let their fancies run and grow
wi'd and revel ne they chose. They look
ed n, the elistening piece. There wns
bread. and fuel; md clothing, and ever,
other comfort, in lis depths. They con
iinaed 10 gaze upon it, Now they saw
within its rim pictures Of delight and joy
visions II long rooms, all wrca,hed and dec
GRATED with cvergreens aud flowers; visions
of smiling faces aud happy children; sights
Of merry sleigh rides, and the glistening OF
bright runners over the smoo,h-worn snow
rhey listened; they heard the mingled
sounds Of merry voices, and the Ginning
music tho accents of innocent tongues, and
The laugh Of gladsome hearts. Ah! wha,
/, philosophers stone was that coin! How
il turned everything first into gold, and
then into happiness! How it grouped a
round them kind and cheerful friends, and
ti'lcdi their ears with kind voices! How i
garlanded all hours Of that day with ever
greens and full blown roses! How i sprend
them n laden table, and crowded It with
merry guests and those guests, too, all sat
istied aud happy! o, what bright rays
shone forth from that trifiing coin Of gold
Could it have been as bright in the chiid's
or the mans dark pocket? No; else il had
before then burned its very way through,
and lent its radiance TO others. Could II
have shone with such visions in the rich
mans hands2 No, else hisavnrice would
have been yanquished At once, and his hear,
everfowed with generosity! No, no; il
was only to such as the widow and her
child that il 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 filed with happiness
and lighted with JOY; but he was not alone
his mother was with him. Blessed boy.
he had 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, aud take out, one by one, the
uifts that were slowed there! And how
overioyed was he to see his mother offer
tho sick woman work and new home, and
10 see the sick woman grow suddenly
strong, aud almost well under the influence
1t their kind offers! He wondered il their
|hnppiness could possibly be as deep as bis
awn, if,heir New Year were as bright te
them ms his was 10 him. lie Ynew not
how any one could lie happier than he was
AZ this moment.
Years have rolled away into the silent
past. That little girI-Elsie Gray-is 9
lady. No, lady only in name, hut one u
every deed, in heart, 10 conduct. She
dwells ia a sweet suburban cottage, anf
her husband is devoted only to her. The
husband is no other than the generous boy
y ho on the New Years festival accos,ec
her so tenderly in the street, aud wen
homo with her. Her poor mother sleeps
quietly in the little chnrch-yard; yet she
lived to know ,ha, God Ind provided fol
her child. She died resigned and happy
Are there coins either Of god or silver
that must be locked away from sight on Thu
day Of the new year? Arc there any con
aiming within their depths such sweet Wis
ions, such happy sights, vet they must lie
under lock and key all this day, lest happ'
ness and comfort may become too univer