Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-02-06
h SllisfrIIaneuns,
a COOP DEED IN SEASON.

Inc speaker WIS " llttlc pNl not hi'Io bh"o
eleven years old, aud though the people
sometimes called him handsome, his face
looked very harsh and disagreeable just
then.
He stood in beautiful garden, just in
tho suburbs Of che city; and il was June
time, and the tulips were opening Themselves
70 tho sunshine. OH it was a great Joy to
look at them rs they bowed gracefully to
the light with their necks Of crimson, Of yel-
low and carnaton. The beds flanked eth
or side Of the path that curved around a
small arbor, where the young grape clusters
that lay hidden among the largo leaves,
wrote q beautiful prophecy for the autumn.
A white paing ran in front Of the gar
den, and over this the little bcggar boy, so
rudely addressed was leaning. He was
very lean, very dirty, very ragged. | am
afraid little children would have turned away
In disgust from so repulsive a spectacle, and
yet God and the angels loved him
He was looking with all his soul
In his eyes on the beautiful blossoms,
rs they swayed TO and fro in tho summer
wind, and his heart softened as he leaned
his arm on the fence railing, and forgot ev-
erything in that long absorbing gaze Ali
II was seldom the bcggar boy saw anything
that was other very good or beautiful, and
it 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 eyes. But before the boy could retort,
a little girl sprang out from the arbor, and
looked eagerly from one child TO the other.
She was very fair, with soft hazel eyes, over
which dropped long, shining lashos. Rich
curls hung over her almost bare white
shoulders, and her lips were the color of the
crimson tulip blossoms.
"How could you speak so cross to the
boy, Hinton ?'she asked, with tone If sad
reproach quivering through the sweetness
Of her voice. "Tm sure it doesn't do us any
harm to have him look at the flowers if he
likes
"Well, Helen," urged the brother, slight
ly modified, and ashamed, az don't like to
have beggars gaping over 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 very glad. Little boy"
-and the child turned to the beggar boy,
and addressed him as courteously as though
he had been prince" I'll pick you some
ofthe tulips if you will wait a moment"
"Helen, do believe you're the funniest
girl that ever livedl" calculated the chld'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 plucked one of each specimen of
the tulips, and there was great variety of
them, and gave them to the child. His
face frightened as he received them and
thanked her.
Oh the little girl had dropped "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 ha-
zel-eyed girl had grown into tall, graceful
woman. One bright juno afternoon she
walked with her husband through the gar
den, for she was on a visit to her parents.-
The place was little changed, and the tulips
had opened their lips of crimson and gold to
the sunshine, Just as they had twelve years
before. Suddenly they observed n young
man in a workman's blue overalls, leaning
over the fence, his eyes wandering eagerly
from the beautiful flowers to herself He
had a frank, pleasant countcnance, and there |
was something in his manner which inter
ested the gentleman and lady.
"Look here, Edward" she said, "rll |
pluck somo of the flowers. 1t always does
me good to see people admiring them," and |
then releasing her husbands arm, she ap-
preached the paling, saying-and the smile
around her lips was very like the old child /
onez-"Arc you fond offiowers, sir9 1t will
give me great pleasure to gather you some"
The young workman looked moment |
very earnestly into the fair sweet face.
"Twelve years ago this very month" he
said, in voice deep and yet tremulous with |
feeling, F" stood hero, leaning on this rail
ing, dirty, ragged little heggar boy; and
you asked me this very question. Twelve
years ago you placed the bright flowers in
my hands, and they made me a new boy
aye, and they made man of me too
Your face has been light, ma'am, all along
the dark hours of life, and this day that lit
tic beggar boy can stand on the Old place
and say to you, though he's nm humble and
hard working man, yet thank God, he's an
honest one"
Tear-drops trcmbled like morning dew on /
the shining lashes Of the lady, as she turned (
to her husband, who had joined her, and /
listened in absorbed astonishmcnt 10 the (
workman's words. "God," she said, 'put