Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1855-03-03
SELECT STORY.
THE GOLDEN COIN;
OR, THE LITTLE STREET BEGGAR.
BY GEORGE CANNING HILL

OR, THE LITTLE STREET BEGGAR.
H- BY GEORGE CANNING HILL.
1t, wa, the morning of a new year
That had lust set in, bright golden AM
beautiful. The sun glistened like jew
eled raiment in the cloudless sky. Thu
Ginning of the silvery sounds Of th'
bells struck joyfully upon the listener
in every street. The air was cold, tho
no, piercing; bracing though not .! j. biting !!g
Iiust cold enough, in truth, to diffuse life
and elasticity into every one that moved
There was little girl-a child o
poverty, on that new years morning
walking the streets with the gay GROVE
tha, swept past her. Herlittle feet hat
grown SO numb, encased in thin shoes
and those badly worn, that she could
but with difficulty move one before the
other. Her cheeks shook at every ster
she took, and her lips looked truly pur,
pie. Alas poor Elsie Gray! She wat
a little beggar.
Just like the old year was the new
year to her. Just like the last years
wants, and last years sufferings, were
the wants and sufferings of this The
change Of the year brought no change
in her condition with it. She was poor,
her mother was widow and an invalid
and the child was poor beggar!
In an old and cherries room gleam'
ed no bright fires Of anniversary. No
evergreens, no wreaths, no flowers. save
few old withered ones, decked her
time. stained walls. There was no sound
of merry voices within the door, to say
to the Widow Gray ar
"a happy new year to you, Mrs
Gray" aua
Heaven seemed to have walled her
and her abode ont from the happiness
that was all the worlds on that festive
day of the year. 1t had provided to all
........,.,, - ,o,orotnI.tiopo M
appys sa.ss' ,;So Go no sn,..r. fnr hem,
W. WI IT, ~ Vs. W. ,bsva on,s.s,sq al Hal
81 =. - :
worlds charityY Had they voluntarily
shut themselves out from the sunlight of
the living croatul es around them? No!
shame take the world that 1t must be SO
answered for ,hem' Mrs. Gray was
poor!
Little Elsie stopped at times and
breathed her hot breath upon her blue
and benumbed fingers. and stamped her
tiny feet in their easements with all the
force left in them, and then the big tears
stood trembling in her large blue eyes
for moment, and rolled slowly do%n
her purple cheeks, as it they would
freeze to them. She had LETT her moth,
cr in bed, sick exhausted and famlshlng;;
What wonder that she cried, even tho
those hot tears only dr'pped on the col1 {,
pavement. They might as well iall
there as elsewhere; the many human
hearts tha, passed her were full as ICY
and hardened. "s
She would have turned back to 60
home, but she thought again Of her poor
mother, and went on, though where To
go she knew not ono was 10 oecome
street oesgar;., ;,,, MneIe s"ou'u -, :i'ee, =,
oos oossu'n named and numbered for them q
Surely if not home where should they
gol 1t was this thought that brought
those crystal tears, that started those
deep and irrepressible sobs that check
ed her instant ut''rance'
A young boy-a bright looking little
fellow-chanced 10 pass her, as she
walked and wept and sobbed. He
caught the glitter OF those tears IN the
sunshine, and the sight smo.e his ange
heart. He knew not %hat want and
suffering were ,' onra "aa hs.rI ] os S,I%, now
them h''nse"-ne'e, ,,,p", U'1 = raa, haa, .asa,
ws"sT 80. us a". .,onnad suddenly before El. f
vas H., ..,,s ~ -