Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-04-01
a GOOD DEED DONE II SEASON.

her husband and children, and the cloudy
brow was put awag lorsver.
A GOOD DEED DONE II SEASON.
III vfRGISIA !. TOWNSEND.
.t;et away with you, you dirty old besgar
boy. I'd like to know what right You have
to look over the fence OF our flowers The
speaker was a little boy, not more than eleven
years old, and though people sometimes call
ed it handsome, his face looked very harsh
and disagreeable just then.
Fl e stood in a beautiful garden, just in the
suburbs of the city; and it was June time
and the tulips were just opening themselves
to the sunshine. Oh it was great JOY to
look at them as they bowed gracefully to the
light wind their necks of crimson, Of yellow,
and carnation. The beds fanked either side
of the path, that curved around small arbor,
where the young grape clusters that lay hid
den among the large leaves wrote beautiful
prophecy for the autumn.
A white paling ran in front Of the garden,
and over this the little beggar boy, SO rudely
addressed, was leaning. He was very lean,
very dirty, very ragged. / am afraid little
children, you would have turned away in dis
gust from SO repulsiye spectacle, and vet
God and the angels loved him.
He was looking, with all his soul in his
eyes, on the beautiful blossoms, as they sway.
ed to and fro in the summer wind, and his
heart softened while he leaned his arm on the
fence railing, and forgot everything in that
long, absorbed gaze. All! it was seldom the
beggar boy saw anything good or beautiful,
and it was sad his dream should have such
rude awakening. Isl.
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 look
ed eagerly from one child to the other. She
was very fair, with soft, hazel eyes, over
which dropped long shining lashes Rich
curls hung over her bare white shoulders
and her lips were the color of the crimson
tulip blossoms
How could you speak SO cross to the boy
Hinton I? she asked. in tone of sad reproach
quivering through the sweetness Of her voice
I'm sure it doesn't do US any harm to have
him look at the flowers as long as he wants
to-
"Well, Helen, urged the brother, slightly
modified, and slightly ashamed, 81 don't like
to have beggggars gaping over the fence. 1t
looks so low
"Now, that's all notion ofyours, 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 courteously as though he
had been prince-"I'll pick you some of
the tulips ifyou wait a moment p
'Helen, do believe you're the funniest
girl that ever lived" calculated the chids
brother, as he turned away with a low whis-
tie, sauntered down the path, feeling very un-
comtortable-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 q great variety of these,
and gave them to the beggar boy. His face
frightened as he received them, and thanked
her.
Oh the little girl had dropped pearl of
great price into the black, tuarrbid pillows of
the boys life, and the after years should
bring it up, beautiful and bright again.
Twelve years had passed. The little blue
eyed girl had turned into a tell, graceful wo-
man. One bright June afternoon she walked
with her husband through the garden, for
she was on visit to her parents. The place
was little changed, and the tulips had opened
their lips ofcrimson and gold to the sunshine,
just as they had done twelve years before -
Suddenly they observed q young man in
workman's blue overalls, leaning over the
fence, his eyes wandered eagerly from the
beautiful flowers to herself He had u frank,
pleasant countenance, and there was some
thing in his manner that interested the gem
tleman and his lady
'Iook here Edward said she, 'rll pluck
him some flowers. railways does me good
to see people admiring them" and releasing
her husbands arm, she approached the pal
ing, saying-and the smile around her lips
was very like the Old child like one-"Arc
you fond of flowers sir? 1t will give me
pleasure to gather you some
The young man looked moment very ear
nestly into the fair, sweet face. Twelve
years ago, this month" he said in voice
deep and yet tremuous with feeling, III stood
here, leaning on this railing, q 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 made
new boy-aye, and they made man of me,
too. Your face has been light, ma am, all
along the dark hours ofmy life, and this day,
that little beggggar boy can stand ON the old
place, and say to you, though he S an humble
and Woodworking man, yet, thank God, he's
an honest one.
Tear drops trembled like morning dew on
the shining lashes of the lady, as she turned
to her husband, who had joined her. and lis
tened in establishment to the workman's
words. God" she said, put it into my
child-heart to do that little deed of kindness,
and see now how great is the reward that
He has given me-"
And the setting son poured food of rich
purple light over the group thatstood there
over the workman in his blue overalls, over
the lady with her golden hair, and over the
proud looking gentleman by herside. Alto
the angels who looked down upon it from
heaven saw something more than picture
therei