Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-07-15
THE LITTLE SUNBEAM.

Flowers and children what would earth
be without them? Some writer has said,
g Shun him who loveth not music or the
laugh or child" I have many time
been cheated out Of a fit of the blues, by
their merry ringing laugh beneath my win
dow. 'Tis quite infectious
There is little girl who passes here
every morning, on her way to school, whom
/ call the Little Sunbeam. She is not
pretty, but she has large loving eyes /; and
voice like an Eolian harp We made
acquaintance without the formality of an
Introduction, and every morning as she
passes, she says with sweet smile, " I |
hope you slept well last night, Miss"
She knows how dearly love flowers, and
that cannot afford to buy them, and am
too old to trot around after them if I could |
so she comes trippling along on her little
dainty feet, and holding up bunch of my
favorite mignionette and hearts ease, says
with glad laugh, (without awaiting for
thanks, "I onl y wish had more for
you"
Now that is but little thing, but yet
to poor old woman like myself, it is a
great deal, after all, and will often give me
cheerful fancies all day; for life has had
many trials for me, and flowers carry me
back to its happiest days-so when my
little sunbeam has vanished, and my
cherries room looks darker by the con-
trast, I close my eyes, inhale their sweet
perfume, and abandon myself to the sweet
memories they bring me. If I am miss
ing from my accustomed seat at the win
dow, my little friend thinks I am i'll, and
is not satisfied till she runs in to offer me
book to read or to do any little errand
that may be necessary.
Then [ see her making peace with all
the little boys and girls who get by the
ears, for it is next to impossible to be cross
or sulky, when her bright face is thrust
before them. Does any little unfortunate
tumble down, she is always at hand to
brush the dirt from her clean frock, smooth
the rumpled ringlets, and wipe away the
April tears.
Is any little brain overtasked at school,
you may find that my " sunbeam" at re-
cess time, in some snug corner, making
the lesson easy for the little discouraged
heart Oh, what blessed world woulG
: this be if we were all thus ready to bea
! each others burdens to smooth for weary
J feet the rugged paths of life!
l watched her the other day from thu
:, window, as her steps were arrested by som
e e profane words uttered by two lads at play
>L-1 i,
e were strangers to her; her cheeks Aushe'
= painfully, while tears startled to her eyes
:. At length, stepping lightly forward, am
;. laying one little hand upon them, Will
> ), with the other she pointed upward, sh
- - said, in soft Whisper" Oh, hush J
9 (please) God hears !" listened for
rough answer, but the lads, awed and sub
dued by her manner, gazed silently upol
her, as if an angel had rebuked them, an
. parting, went each his way.
- - A young widow lady near US lost he
only child, in whom all of earth (to her
i was garnered up. In stony despair, shesa
: at the side of the little crib, that held he
: darling. She heard nothing, she sa,
- - nothing, but the little lifeless waxen fac
~ - before her. The door gently opens, til
~ - Sunbeam" lights up their darkened room
% Unasked, unknown, she enters, and place
- half blown rose between those little mai
80 BILE fingers. See it has touched the motl
~ ers heart; blessed tears come at last I
y her relief, and clasping the sweet child
- her heart, she calls on "God to bless her
~ - and who shall say that prayer went up III
J. heard-unanswered OLiUe Branch.