American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-04-30
a Goo0 Storm.
| N T E l. Lee IN r A G S.
BY vAKA MoNTRosE.
= A II r I.

-, =, .ASiJ ""y AASa'y
snow drifts lay piled up in the street of
New York, and the whole appearance
of the city was cold and dismal. .s
Seated upon the stone steps of one
of the large dwellings on Fifth Avenue,
was boy apparently thirteen years of
age. He was literally clothed in rags,
and his hands were blue, and his teeth
chattered with the cold. Lying upon
his knee was piece of newspaper
he had picked up in the street; and he
was trying to read the words upon it.
Ho had been occupied thus for some
time, when two little girls, clad in silk
and furs, came toward him. The ell
dest one was about twelve years old,
and so beautiful that the poor boy rails
ed his eyes, and fixed them upon her
in undisguised admiration.
The child of wealth stopped before
him, and turning to her companion,
exclaimed, ~.
Marian, just see this fellow on my
steps! Boy what are you doing here?'
Il am trying to learn to read upon
this little bit of paper answered the
boy.
The girl laughed dcrisivcly, and
said:
We'll, truly / have heard Of intel
lect in rags, Marian, and here it is per.
sonifed.
Marian's soft hazel eyes filed with
tears, as she replied:
% Louise, do not talk so; you know
what Miss Fannie teaches in school,
The rich and the poor meet together,
and the Lord is the maker of them all
Louise laughed again and said to the
boy:
Get up from here, you shall not sit
on my steps, you are too ragged and
dirty
The boy arose, and burning blush
crimsoned his face. He was walking
away, when Marian said:
Don't 60, little boy, you are so cold;
come into my house and get warm. O,
do come, she continued, as he hesita-
ted; and he followed her into a large
kitchen, where bright fnrm-fire was
shedding its genial warmth around.
well, Miss Marian, who are you
bringing here row?' asked the servant
woman
"a poor boy who is almost perished;
youwill let him get warm, will you not,
Rachel?'
%, yes, he shall get warm; sit here,
little boy, and Rachel pushed chair
in front of the stove; she then gave him
a piece of bread and meat.
Marian watched these arrangements,
and then glided from the room. When
she returned she had primer, with
the first rudiments of spelling and
reading. Going to the boy, she said:
Little boy, here is book that
you can learn to read from better than
piece of paper. Do you know your
lettersY
Some Of them, but not all. | ney-
er had anybody to teach me. Just
learned myself; but o, L want to read
so badly
Marian sat down beside him, and be-
gan teaching him his letters. She was
so busily occupied in this work that she
dld not see her mother enter the room,
nor hear Rachel explain about the boy;
ana she knew not that her mother
stood some time behind them, listen.
ing to her noble child teaching the
, beggar boy his letters.
There were but few that he had not
already learned himself, and it was not
long before Marian had the satisfaction
OF hearing him repeat the alphabet.
When he rose to 90 he thanked
Rachel for her kindness, and offered
Marian her book.
No, don't want it., she said, 81
have given it to you to learn to read
from. Won't you tell me your namc?
Jimmie, he replied.
! Il will not forget you, Jimmie, and
you must always remember Marian
Hays was the little girls farewell.
Louise Gardner and Marian HAYS
wore playmates and friends. Their
dwelIingsj joined, and almost every hour
OF the day they were together, for they
attended the same school. These two
children were very differently disposi,
toned, and very differently brought up.
Louise was proud and naughty. Pow.
erty, in her eyes, was disgrace and
crime, and she thought nothing too
severe for the poor to suffer. These
; views sho learned from her mother. -
Mrs Gardner moved in one exclusive