Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-08-11
pain had fixed itself in his face, and he could

not put it away
"Josey, dear boy" said his mother; and
| she came and put her arms around him, and
drew out the broken blade from the wood
Her tears she did not try to put back but
pitying him as she did, she could only weep
and soothe him. She could not say the words
she would rather have said than any other
that she would have soon replaced his loss
"Dont cry, dear mother" said Josey, faint
| ly; "knives can't last forever, you know; and
if this must break, see how nicely it has come
off so near the handle. can use the blade
for a great many things, and one of your
knives will help too. can get along nicely,
think
But Josey found it hard to comfort his
poor mother. She knew how many lonely
hours that knife had cheered-how many dull
ones it had frightened much delight
his work had always been to him-how i'm
possible it was for her to get him another, for
long time-and she remembered, too that
on these slight earnings of Josey's she was
dependant for the means of procuring for him
those little luxuries that were almost neces-
saries, when he was feeble and suffering.
Harry could not speak. but his blue eyes
were full of tears, and a great pain filed his
heart as he caught the look, more touching
than all the mothers words, with which Josey
gathered up the severed handle and blade,
and put them into the drawer of his little
table. Oh, how few the boys sources of
happiness must be, when the breaking of the
simple knife could put such desolate look
into his face Excitement, as it usually did,
had made Josey little faint, and while he
lay back with his eyes closed, for few mo-
ments, his mother tanning him with her broad
palm-leaf fan. Harry slipped away
uoc 1ofo in tho Of ftornoop a,bor bo oor,o
again towards the house, on his return from
his long walk to the village. The soft light
of the setting sun fell about Josey's low win
dow, and the pale boy lay looking out on the
rosy and golden clouds in the western sky
There was still sad look on his face, but he
smiled when Harry came up, and listened
pleasantly to the boy-gossip he had brought
from the village.
1t was not until some minutes after Harry
had bade him goodbye, and he had ceased to
watch his stout little figure hurrying up the
road, that Josey discovered in the far corner
of the window, closely folded package of
white paper directed to himself; and, as he
slowly and wonderingly unrolled it, there
dropped from it heavily upon his couch, big
beautiful knife, stouter and handsomer than
the one he had lost, and with fDo fine blades
Josey trembled so, and his eyes grew so dim,
that he could not read the words on the inside
of the wrapper, and, all in wonder, his mother
came and read these lines written in an un-
formed boyish hand;
Dear Josey: Please accept this knife
from me, because would rather you should
ha, it, to make up for the one you broke,
than to have the handsomest knife in the
world. bought it with my own money, on
purpose for you. Your sorry and afIectionate
friend, HARRY
Poor Josey The tears that had been kept
back fell fast enough now, and like little
child, he laid his face against his mothers
breast, too glad and grateful for words.
There was no pleasant sounding silver in
Harry's pocket when he went to his room
that night-no strong beautiful knife better
than the silver, to take its place; but his
mothers kiss was tenderer than ever, when
she bade him good night, and angels of peace
and love hovered about him, with blessings
promised to those who lay up treasure in
Heaven.--Lihie Pilgrim.