Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-08-08
The Beggar Boy.

than eleven years old, and though peopl
sometimes called it handsome, his fac
looked very harsh and disagreeable then
| He stood in a beautiful garden, Just il
| the suburbs of the city; and it was Jun
time, and the tulips were opening them
selves 10 the sunshine. 0, it was a grea
10y to look at them as they bowed grace
fully 10 the light with their necks of Grim
son, of yellow, and carnation. The bed
f1anked either side of the path that curv
ed around small arbor, where the young
grape clusters that lay hidden among tht
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 SC
rudeIy addressed, was leaning. He was
very lean, very dirty, very ragged. / am
afraid you would have turned away in
disgust from SO repulsiye spectacle, and
yet God and the angels loved him!
He was looking with all his soul in his
eyes on the beautiful blossoms, as they
swayed to and fro in the summer wind,
until his heart softened while he leaned
his arm on the fence railing, and forgot
everything in that long absorbed gael
All! it was seldom the beggar boy saw
anything that was either very good OF
beautiful, and it was sad his dream should
have such rude awakening.
The blood rushed up to his face, and
glance full of evil and defiance flashed
into bis eyes. But before the boy could
retort, little girl sprang out from the ar
Dor and looked eagerly from one child to
the other. She was very fair with soft
hazel eyes, over which dropped long shin
ing lashes. Rich curls hung over her al
most bare white shoulders; and her lips
were the color of the crimson tulip bios
SONS.
How could you speak SO cross to the
boy, Hinton?' she asked, with tone of
sad reproach quiVering through the sweet
ness of her voice. 'L'm sure it doesn't do
us any harm to have him look at the flow
ers if he likes
'Well, Helen,' urged her brother, slight
ly rnoified and ashamed, i don't like to
have beggars gaping over tile fence. Il
looks SO low.'
Now that's notion of yours, Hinton:
m sure if the flowers can do ANYBODY
any good, we ought TO be very glad. Lit
lie boy, (and the child turned to the beg
gar boy and addressed him as courteous
y as though he had been a prince) 'Ill
pick you some Of the tulips, if you'll wait
a moment
'Helen, do believe you're the funniest
girl that ever liVed!' calculated the chiId's
brother, as he turned away, and with a
low whistle sauntered down the path, feel |
Ir1g very uncomfortable; for her condnct
was d stronger reproof to him than any |
words could have been.
Helen plucked one of each specimen
Of the tulips, and there was great yarie
Y OF these, and gave them to the child.
His face frightened as he received them
and thanked her.
O, the little girl had dropped spearl
If great price into the black, turbid bill
ows of the boys life, and the after years
would bring it up, beautiful and fair again.
Twelve years had passed. The little
'lue-eyed girl had grown into a tall,
graceful woman. One bright June after
loon she walked with her husband
trough the garden, for she was on visit
. her parents. The place was little
hanged, and the tulips opened their lips
f crimson and gold to the sunshine, just
8 they had twelve years before. Sudden
I they observed young man in a work.
lan's overalls, leaning over the fence, his
yes following eagerly from the beautiful
overs TO herself. lie had frank plea
ant countenance, and there was somes
ling in his manner that interested the
sntIeman and lady.
Look here, Edward,' said she, I'll
uck some of the flowers. Italways does |
e good to see people admiring them;'
I'd then releasing her husbands arm, she
oproached the paling (and the Fsmile
und her lips was very like the old, child
le, saying, Are you fond of flowers, 9
{ II will give me great pleasure to gath a
you some.'
The young workman looked a moment c
ry earnestly into the fair, sweet face. f
Twelve years ago this very month, he r
i'd in q voice deep and yet tremulous '
tn feeling, i stood here, leaning on ii
s railing, a dirty, ragged little beggar
y; and you asked me this very question. Ii
Velve years ago you placed the bright Ii
Wers IN my bands. and they made me I
rev boy, eye, and they made man of :
J, too, Your face has been light,
fam, all along the dark hours of my il
!, and this day that little beggar boy a
d stand on the old place and say to you "
,ugh he's an humble and hard-working h
ii vet thank (xna I,n1r .,r, he,r,net 1,r,., r