Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-12-05
Thu Beggar Bow,

bet away with you, you dirty ola peg
gar boy. I'd like to know what right you
have to look over the fence at our flowers?
The speaker was a little boy not more
.han eleven years old, and tho sometimes
called very handsome, his face looked very
harsh just then.
lie stood in the midst of a beautiful gar
den, just in the suburbs of the city: and it
was June time. and the tulips were opening
themselves to the sunshine. 0. it was a
great JOY to look at them as they bowed
gracefully to the light, with their nccks of
crimson, of yellow and carnation. The
beds aanked either side of the path that
curved around small arbor, where the
young grape clusters lay hidden among the
large leaves, wrote beautiful prophecy for
the autumn.
A white paling ran in front of the gar
den, and over this the little beggar boy, so
rudcly addressed, was leaning. He was
very lean, very dirty and very ragged. |
am afraid you would have turned in dis
gust from SO repulsye spectacle, and yet
God and the angels loved him.
He was looking, with his soul in his eyes
on the beautiful blossoms, as they swaycd
TO and fro in the summer wind and his heart
eoftened as be leaned his arm on the fence
railing, and forgot everything on that long
absorbed gaze. All. it was seldom that
the beggar boy saw anything that was either
very good or beautiful and it was sad his
dream should have such rude Weakening
The blood rushed up to his face, and
glance full of evil and defiance flashed into
his eyes. But before the boy could retort
G little girl sprang out from the srbor and
looked eagerly from one child to the other.
She was fair, with soft hazel eyes, over
which dropped long, shining lashes. Rich
curls hung over her almost bare, white
shoulders her lips wore the color of
the crimson tulip blossoms.
How could you speak so cross to the boy,
Hinton z she asked with tone of sad re-
preach quivering through the sweetness of
her voice. I'm sure it doesn't do us any
harm to have him look at the flowers if he
likes
Well, Helen, urged the brother, slight
II, Modified and ashamed, i don't like to
have beggars gaping over the fence-it looks
80 low.
Now that's notion of yours, Hinton
I'm sure if the flowers can do any body any
good, We ought to be very glad; Little boy
and the child turned to the beggar boy
and addressed him as courteously as though
he had been prince--Ill pick you some
Of the tulips if you'll wait a few moments
Helen, do believe you're 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 plucked one of each specimen of
the tulips-and there was great variety
of these-and gave them to the child. His
face frightened as he received them and
thanked her.
Oh 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 blue
eyed girl had grown into a tall, graceful
woman. One bright June afternoon she
walked with her husband through the gar
den, for she was on 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 a young
man in workman's blue oyeralls, leaning
over the fence. his eyes following eagerl
from the beautiful flowers to herself He
had frank pleasant countenanec and there
was something in his manner that interest
Ell the gentleman and lady.
Look here. Edward said she, "Pll
pluck some of these flowers. 1t always does
me good to see people admiring them, and
then releasing her husbands arm. she ap-
preached the paling the smile around
her lips was very much like the old, child
one--saying Are you fond of flowers, sir
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 ,aonsh,' be
said, in voice deep and yet tremulous
With feeling, | stood here, leaning on this
railing, dirty, ragged little beggar, boy,
and you asked me this very question.
Twelve years ago you placed the bright
flowers in my hand and they male me a
new boy; aye and they made a man Of ME
"V. oui ldce HAS Utcu Il lSut, Hid dui
al along the dark hours of my life, and
this day that little beggar boy can stand on
the old place and say though he's an humble
and hard working man, yet, thank God,
he's an honest one
Tear drops trembled Ike 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
workman's words.
God, she said put it into my chiId-heart
to do that littlo deed Of kindness, and see
how very great is the reward he has given
me-
And the setting sun poured a food of
rich purple light over the group that stood
there over the workman in his blue overalls
oyer the lady with her golden hair. and
over tho pround gentleman at her side. Al
though it was picture for painter, the
angels who looked down on it from heaven,
saw something more thaa a pictare there.