The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-03-29
FOR The YOUNG.
From The LiHle Pilgrim.
AUNT JAMES LITTLE LECRURE
January I, 1854.
Ell MRS. $. c. HALL.

| wen, eNciallncu Garadlnp, with an
impatient toss Of her pretty hcad-"Wcll,
| WAS never before taxed with want OF
generosity; AIN sure give away every
thing | have in the world"
Excuse me-you do not"
Indeed, Aunt, give up everything"
Again, excuse me; there is one thing
you never give up"
What, auntyr'
Your temper"
Geraldine pulled at the fingers Of her
gloves, one by one and then tossed them
on the table, while her checks flushed and
her eyes grew bright, but not with plea
sure.
" am sure | give away all my money :;
is not that being generous 2"
you give away the thing, of all others.
you want least, and which it gives YOU
the least trouble to part with. All your
wants and wishes are supplied to you with
out money"
Il give away my books and my toys"
They are constantly replaced by other
not at your own cost but by the liberal
'ty of those whose love is, perhaps injudi-
cious."
81 even give away my pets"
when you are tired of them"
Geraldine burst into tears. 'I am sure.n
she,o"'s, eote."s, 81 am sure people seem
to think they have done their duty when
they give money; and I---give-all-
yesterday and d--uncle--Richard
--said--I--was--so--good--I should
y--more-to-day''
However necessary money is to us ALL
observed aunt Jane gravely,I often con-
slider giving it as but small evidence OF
generosity particularly when certain OF
i----:-se, :. -e,lacAi--. t., L. "A a. !.
matter steadily, and with a gentle, vet
enquiring spirit.
you give shilling to Dame Godfry.
the other morning; you did not want the
shilling. DO you remember what she
saidi"
"YeS, aunt"
"Sho said, thank you, my dear Young
lady; but, oh, how grateful should be il
you would read to me just one chapter in
the New Testament"
81 don't like reading to old women,"
pOuted out Geraldine
Your generosity did not extend to the
sacrifice OF doing what YOU disiked, but
Mary Golfers did"
MARY Collier" repeated the little girl,
disdalnfulIy; poor little Mary Collier
how can she be gencrous?"
MARY Golfers chest is weak and hcaves
and pants when she reads abound, and
yet often find her sitting beside Dame
Godrey's bed, and dong-what YOU re-
fused to do-though you can read and
sing, without pausing. Your shilling gift
robbed you neither Of ease nor comfort:
Mary Collier sacrificed both-tlIat was
! generosity. And there is that poor, aged
woman, Alice Grey; Alice is one Of the
most truly generous women ever knew"
Alice :" exclaimed Geraldine; "Whv
Alice would not have had dinner at
Christmas, but for you kindncss--how can
she be generous"
There is one great gift, amongst
many which God gives us at our birth
Geraldine, and which remains with us
from the cradle TO the grave-oUR TINE.
We sell 1t and exchange it; work it or
it, but still it is our own-it is the only
treasure the working man, or the work
ing women possesses; we have no right
TO squandcr, or abasc it or to lead Others
to do SO. Now, Alice lives by her
TIME-mind you she lives 10y 'it-so
she understands and appreciates its value
II she leaves her daily labor, even for AN
hour, she knows that she is depriving her.
self of certain quantity Of food, or light
or tire,or abridglng the size or quality other
poor dress, miseraby, scanty MS it is; and
yet, Alice Grey gives that hour-ayc, and
may hours--to comfort The fathcrless and
the widow; she works for others-she
thin - Of othcrs-she dcprives herself Of
what to her is necessa.y V, to serve others
That is generosity.
81 saw n little boy, the other day, 90
into bakers shop; he was really hungry
and he Was very fond of buns-all little bows
are-but the great matter was, he was hun
gry; be bought large two penny bun; he
was so hungry that he tured all the mar.
bles and bits Of string, and odds and ends
ofqueer boy-Iike things, out of his pockets,
hoping to find another penny, to add
small bun to the large one, but he had not
even another farthing SO he took q great,
hungry bite out Of his bun, and looked
with pleasure at the piece in his hand,
spotted over with little black cuuants.
'What nice bun,' saiG the little boy, and
! am SO hungryr When he looked up
from the bun, he saw a pair Of large, blue
eyes,staring from amid shock Of wild hair.
Alas! the nose and lips, the very cheeks
OF the child who gazed so eagerly at his
bun, were pinched and yellow from star.
walton. My littlJ friend saw it in mo-
mcnt, and not moment did he hesitate
but withou, word, he walked up 10 the
starving child, and piseed the fsms;hdcr