True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-03-11

o winter wind, blow not too bleak
On yonder trembling one;
Her limbs are old, and chill, and weak
Soft greet her, winter sun.
For she has seen no smile to-day,
No fire is in her cot;
So winter wind, 60 seek the gay,
Pass by and harm her not.
o winter wind, toss not away
Those locks of faded hair;
There shone once Ger sweet blue eye,
When she was young and fair.
They glittered there like golden wings
Gems held their bands apart
Now frost, lies on the faded rings,
And frost within her heart.
As laid my pen down. a beautiful
child Of seven summers, with the golden
light of youth streaming all over hel
bright curs, childhood's fresh lustre in
her dark eyes, and Junes reddest roses
on her dimpled cheeks came in.
COP she cried, tossing the stray
curls from her brow, "we've got the
splendidest new piano over home, and
mother wants you 10 come and try it
She says you shall play OH it first"
Now | am a child with children; my
heart bounds, my pulses leap in unison
with their sportive natures, when they
are by. And when the locks are silvered
on my temples, and my step grows slow
upon the staircase, when the voices of
my loved ones are like remembered mu.
sic, when my hands grasp becomes
tremulous. like the loosening tendrils of
the dying vine, still may the dear Lord
grant to me the trusting tenderness of
childhood still may the feet of infancy
patter around my knee, and its red lips
breathe perfume OH my wilhered cheek.
Away went ink and pen, and up boun.
ded | to catch the hand of little Nellie,
and off we ran. In at the beautiful man
sion. into room softly lighted, where
Nellie's mother who was an invalid, lay
upon her accustomed couch aud up to
the new piano to sooth the weary sick
one with strains OF music. The instru-
ment was one after my own heart rich
toned, full and melodious. and the soft
strains answered liquidly to my touch.-
Now the sweet verse of Burnes, High.
land Mary" and now the sweeter music
of Tappan's "There is an hour of
peaceful rest" occurred to my memory,
and thus played and sang till Nellies
father came. He was a handsome man,
and from him his little daughter inherited
her golden tinted hair and hazel eyes
He took seat near his wife and drew
her thin hand into his, and he spoke to
her. Then when | praised the new pi.
ano, he turned to me laughingly, saying,
" Yes and the best part Of it is it only
cost me ten dollars"
| expressed my astonshment. and my
look of wonder drew another laugh from
him.
"Let me tell you the story" he said,
drawing little Nellie toward him. and en-.
circling her little form with his arm,
while she looked with as much astonsh-
ment as myself, and he began.
GA few years ago | went to Chicago.
| had been there but few days when in
one Of my morning walks, | encountered
a girl some twelve years old, a very!in-
telIIgent brighl-eyed child, whose face
wore such sorrowfu expression that
almost stopped to speak with her as she
passed. The morning air was raw and
chilly, the ground wet from light fall of
early snow, and | noticed that as the wind
blew her thin garments about her form
she shivered with the cold. As she went
by she half turned, and had gone but
little way before | heard quick footsteps
behind me, and stopping; the girl lifted
her hand as if 10 place it on my arm, then
drawing back she said
please sir, if you could give me a. lit
tie money to buy bread"
"Are you hungry ?" Insked
4" Yes sir, real hungry" and her lips
quivered.
Doesn't your father work and bring
home bread p
"Falher is SICK" she said, "and moth
er sprained her arm, and my brother, who
used to help us, was drowned pot long
ago."
Something in my heart, and her face,
told me that her story was true. took
her into bakers shop, babe her hold
out her tattered apron, and filled it with
loaves. Then putting five dollars into
the shopman's hands | stipulated that the
poor family was to have bread every
morning till the money was used up
Then slipped another five dollars into
the girls hand, and turned hastily from
her tear filled eyes.
"Well, ten dollars was gone and was
by no means rich enough to spare it, but
/ feltas if, no doubt the Lord would make
il up; and at any rate ten dollars was
cheap enough for the rare pleasure of
giving to Gods poor children. | went
back to my hotel just as the gong
sounded for breakfast, and took my seat
with hundred strangers. No sooner had
/ commenced eating than | felt hand
laid on my elbow, and looking up, there
sat an old friend | had not met for four
teen years. When | last saw him, he
was young man, just starting in the
world, with little means and few friends.
81 have not grown rich he said af.
ter the first surprise of recognition was
over, "but | am able to pay my debts.
Do you remember one day fourteen years
ago. you lent me len dollars in my ex-
tremily, and told me never to pay unless
l was able How l have tried TO find
your address many times since, but could
not. Here is len dollar gold piece, and