Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-06-18
Al am sure I give away all my money: is not tb.,

to part with. All your wants and wishes are SUI
piled to you without money!
Il give away my books and my toys
"rhey are constantly replaced by others-not a
your own cost but by the liberality Of those who's
love is injuti ,ious."
Il even give away my pets.n
hen you are tired OF them.o
'eratdlne burst into tears al am sure" i" she said
4 am sure people seem to think they have done
'Ae'f outy when they give money; and I-gave-al
mine-yesterday-and uncle Richar,i-said--Iw WINS
so-good-I should have-pleuty more today
However necessary money is to us all observe,
aunt Jane, gravely, Il often consider giving it as
but small evidence of generosity, particularly
when certain of having it replacdd Let rs look
at this matter steadily and with gentle yet inquir
ing spirit.
You gave shilling to Dame Godfrey, the other
morning; you did not want the shilling. Do you
remember what she saids" -
sfes, aunt"
AShe said, thank you, my dear young lady; but,
o, how grateful should be if YOU iHeuh read to
me just one chapter of the New Testament" >"
Il don't ike reading to old women" pouted out
Geraldine.
"Your generosity did not extend to the sacrifice
of doing what you dislike, but Mary Golfers did,"
MARY oollie.," repead the little girl. disdain-
fully; @poor little Mary Collier. how can she be
generousf" -I...-
MARY Golfers chest is weak, and heaves and
pants when she reads aloud and yet often fnd
her sitting beside Dame Godfrey's bed. and doing
what You refused to do, though you can read and
sing without painting Your shilling gift robbed
you neither of ease nor comfort Mary Collier sac
rihced both-that was generosity. And there is
that poor, aged woman Alice Grey; Alice is one Of
the most truly generous women | ever knew
"Alieep exclaimed Geraldine; "why Alice would
not have had dinner at Christmas, but for your
kindness: how can she be generous?"
"There is one great gifs. among many which God
gives us at our birth. Geraldine, and which re-
mains with us from cradle to the grave-orR TINE.
We work it or waste it: we sell it and exchange
it; bat still it is own ii is the only treasure the
working man or the working woman possesses; we
have no right to squander or abuse 1t. or to lead
others to do so. Now. Alice lives by her TINE
mind you, she hres by $50 she understands and
appreciates its value. If she leaves her daily Ia
Dor, even for an hour, she knows that she is de-
priving herself of certain quantity of food. or
light, or fire, or abridging the size quantity of
her poor dress, miserably scanty it is and yet
Alice Grey gives that hour--aye and many hours
to comfort the fatheress and the widow; she
works for others-she depriyes herself of what to
her is necessary, to others. That is gener-
osity.
"a | saw little boy. the other day, go into a
bakers shop; he was really hungry, and he ives
very fond of buns-all little boys are--but the
great matter was he was hungry; he bought a
large twopenny bun; he was so hungry that he
turned all the marbles and bits of string and odds
and ends of queer, boy-like things, out of his |
pockets, hoping to find another penny, to add a |
small bun to the large one, but he had not even an
other farthing 40 he took great hungry bite out
Of his bun, and looked with pleasure at the piece
in his hand, spotted over with little black currants
What nice bunr said the little boy, and / am
70 hungry When he looked up from the bun, he
'aw pair of large, blue eyes, staring from amid
shock Of wild hair. Alas. the nose and lips the
7ery cheeks, of the child who gazed so eagerly at
1t his bun; were pinched and yellow from starva-
ion. My little friend saw it in moment, and not
moment did he hesitate but without a word,
ne walked up to the starving child, and placed the
remainder Of his bun in his thin hand. That was
generosity. The poor boy had the bun was hungry
md poor yet he remained hungry, rather than suf-
er one poorer and more hungry, than himself to
tarve. Now, it is not enough for you to say,
Well done, fne fellow but want you to go.
and do likewise 1t is not enough for the heart to
beat and the eyes to swim in tears, when a gener-
Dus action is recorded if it makes proper i'm
preston, you will not be happy until you have
done like wise .g ee-sI- e. z-, Sis 4
Geraldine looked straight on. She hardened her
heart sometimes and when she did, you saw it in
the expression of eyes turned almos. to stone
eyes hard and fearless She had q long time be-
ieved that she was very generous in giving her
money her aunt's observations had nearly con-
Sinced her that generosity was something more
han giving what she did not care for or want and
t made her very uncomfortable but she YVES too
stubborn to confess she was wrong. God had not
yet softened her heart She knew but little of
prayer, and had very seldom proved how a prayer
answered, Wnen IL Is latd before Tue IoOtStOOi OF
he Almighty in pure and humble spirit. Aunt
J Jane loved her dearly, and the more dearly she
owed her. the more anxious she became that tieral-
line should conquer the evil and cultivate the good
IF her disposition but that is thing the young
ire slow to understand. They think-silly things
that those who love them most will indulge them
most - E.
Il will tell you,' continued aunt Jane, after
pause flor she was 50 wise that she paused to let
,ne thing sink into Geraldines mind, before she
poke of another,) 81 viii tell you of boy who
,ad very aggrayating temper twas not so very
Yiolent but it was wilful, obstinate, unyieiding-
# he was told to read ut one o'clock write at two,
md tc do his Latin exercise at three he would ar
que that it would b. better to do his Latin at one,
md read at three. Half his time was spent 10
contradiction He was absurd enough to suppose
that he knew better than his teachers; he would |
not, of course say he did, but he would act as If
he did. He knew nothing of the generosity which
Yields will to the will of Others he had not
learned the duty of obedience, and did not see its
advantages" .e4 c-- Et
Its adyantagcsT qusstioned Geraldine
Yes, its advantages. Ia it not an advantage
to have everything provided, everything thought
L.