Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-08-21


YOU dirty bcggar bow. Ia like to kno
whnt rrht Won have to look over the rono
Mt our flowers :" The speaker was n li,tl
boy not more than eleven vcars old, an
though people sNmetmps called II hanc
some. his face looked very harsh and disa
Crooable lust then.
lie stood in beautiful garden. inst i
the suburbs of the citv md it was Jun
time. md the tu'ins were opening them
selves to the sunshine. o. it was rrca
i1v to look Mt them ~ they bowed graceful
lv to The light with their necks of crimson
Of yellow. and cnrnation. The beds nanko
either side Of the path that curved nroun,
small arbor. whore the Young crane clus
tors that lay hidden among the largo leaves
wrote beautiful prophecy for the all
tumn.
white raling ran in front Of tho gar
den. and over this the little heggar boy 81
rudelv addressed was leaning lie wa
very lean, vorv dirty. very ragged. | am
afraid You would have turned away In dis
gust from so Iepulsive spectacle, and vel
God and the angels loved him
He was looking with ali his soul in his
eyes on the beautiful blossoms. ms they
swaved to and fro in the summer wind. un-
I'll his heart softened while he leaned his
arm on the fence railing. and forgot every.
thing in that long absorbed gaze All it
was seldom the beggar boy saw ANYTHING
that was either very good or beautiful, and
1t was sad his dream should have such a
rude awakening.
The blood rushed up to his face, and a
glance full of evil and defiance flashed into
his eves. But before the boy could retort
n little girl snrang out from the arhor and
looked eagerly from one child to the other
She was very fair with soft hazel eyes. over
which dropped long shining lashcs Rich
curls hung over her almost bare white
shoulders and her lips were the color of
the crimson tulip bio ssoms.
How could you speak so cross to the boy,
Hinton = she asked, with a tone Of sad re
nroach quivering through the sweetness of
her voice. I'm sure 1t doesn't do anv
harm to have HIM look at the flowers, if he
likes
We'll, Helen, urged her brother, slight
ly modified and ashamed, i don't like to
have beGgars gaping oyer the fence 1t looks
so low
Now that's notion Of yours, Hinton.
I'm sure if the flowers can do anybody any
good, we ought to be very glad. Little boy,
(and the child turned to the beggar boy and
addressed him as courtoously as though he
lad been prince) III rick you some Of
the tulips. if you II wait moment
Helen, do believe you are the funniest
girl that ever lived . calculated the child's
brother, as he turned away, and with low
whistle sauntered down the path, feeling
very uncomfortable for her conduct was
stronger reproof to him than any words
could have been
Helen p,ucked one Of each specimen of
the tulips and thero Nvna sreut variety of
these, and gave them to the child. His
face frightened as he received them und
thanked her
O, the little girl had dropped a pearl of
great price into the black, turbid pillows
of the boys life and the after years would
bring it up. beautiful and fair again.
Twelve years had passed. The little
hlue-eyed glrl had grown into II tall, grace
ful woman. One bright June afternoon she
walked with her husband through the gar
den, for she was on Il visit to her parents.
The place was little changed, and the tulips
opened the + lips Of crimson and gold to
the sunshine, just as they had twelve years
before. Suddenly they observed Il Young
man in workmln's ovcralls, leaning over
the fence, his eyes following eagerly from
ShS 'tduNilu ul NV Sls ~ Htlocll' alC lluI d
frank pleasant countenance, and there was
in his manner that interested
gentleman and lady.
Look here, Edward, said she. IN pluck
some Of the flowers. 1t always does me
then releasing her husband 's arm, she ap-
preached the paling (and the smile round
her lips was like the old, child onc,) say
ing, Are you fond of flowers, sir IL Will
give me great pleasure to gather you some
The young workman looked IA moment
very earnestly into the fair, sweet face.
Twelve years ago this very month he
said in a voice deep and yet tremulous with
feeling, Il stood here, leaning on this rail
ing, dirty, ragged little beggir boy and
you asked me this very question Twelve
years ago you placed the bright flowers in
my hands, and they made Inc a new boy,
aye, and they made 4 man of me, too Your
face has been light, ma am, all along the
dark hours of my life, and this day that
little beggar boy can stand on the old place
and say to you, though he's humble and
hard-worklng man, yet, thank God, he's an
honest one
lear-drops trembled like morning dew on
the shining lashes Of the lady, as she turn
ed to her husband, who had Joined her, and
listened in absorbed astonishment to the
words, God, said she, put it
into my child heart to do that little deed of
kindness, and see now how very great is
the reward he has given me,
And the setting sun poured Hood Of rich
purple light over the group that stood
there over the workman in his blue over
ais, over the lady with her golden hair
and over the proud looking gentleman ut
her side. Although it was picture for
painter, the angels who looked down on it
from heaven saw something more than u
picture there