Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-07-21
TILE BEGGAR BOY.

| I'D like to know What rlSnC you nave 10 loon
over the fence at our fowers?" The speaker
was little boy not more than eleven years old
and though some people sometimes called il
handsome, his face looked very harsh and dlsa-
greeable just then.
lie stood in beautiful garden, just in the
suburbs of the city; and it was June time,
and the tulips were opening themselves to the
sunshine ., it was great joy to look at them
as they bowed gracefully to the light with their
necks of crimson, OF yellow, and carnation
The beds tlanked either side of TIE path that
curved around small arbor, where the young
grape clusters that lay hidden among the large
leaves, wrote beautiful prophecy for the
! autumn:
4 white pailing 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 you would
have assned away in disgust from so repuulsive
spectacle, and yet God and the angels loved
him
lie 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
soflened while he leaned his arm on the fence
railing. And every thing in that long absorbed
gaze All it was seldom the beggar boy saw
anything that was either very good or beautiful,
and it was sad his dream should have such a
rude awaking.
His blood rushcs up to his face, and 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 locked eagerly
from one child to the other. She was very fair
with soft lazle eyes, over which dropped long
shining lashes. Rich curlS hung over her almost
bare white shoulders and her lips were the
color of the crimson tulip blossoms.
How could you speak so cross to the boy,
IIintonw she asked, with tone of rcproach
quivering through the sweetness of her voice.
"I'm sure it doSen't DO us any harm to have
him look at the flowers if he likes"
"Well IIelcn," argued her brother, slightly
modified and ashamed, II don't like to have
beggars gaping over the fence, it looks so low"
"Now that's notion of yours, Hinton. Pm
sure if the flowers can do anybody any good,
we ought to be very glad. Little hoy," (and
the child turned to the beggar boy and addressed
him AS courtcously as though he had been a
prince) "I'l pick you some Of the tulips, if
you'll wait a moment"
"Helen do believe you're the funniest girl
that ever lived m calculated the child brother,
as he turned away and with a low whistle
saunted down the path, feeling very uncomfor-
table; for her conduct was stronger reprooi
to him than any word 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.
O, the little girl had dropped pearl of great
Price, into the Back, t1rbid 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 tall graceful woman.
One bright June afternoon she walked with her
husband through the garden, for she was on q
visit to Ler parents. The place was little
changed, and the tulips opened their lips Of
crimson and gold to the sunshine, just as
they had twelve years before. Suddenly they
observed a young nan in aworkman's ovcr-alls,
leaning over the fence, his eyes following eager
ly from the beautiful flowers to herself. lie
had frank pleasant countcnance, and there was
something in his manner that interested the
gentleman and lady.
"Look here Edward" said she, CPL pluck
some Of the flowers. 1t always does me good
to src people adnliriEg them; and then re-
leasing her husbands arm, she approached the
paiing (and the smile round her lips was very
like the old, child one.) saying, arc you fond
of flowers sir? 1t will give lne gr,at pleasure
to gather You some"
The young workman looked moment very
earnestly into the fair, sweet face.
"Twelve years ago this very month"; lie said
in voice deep and yet trcmulouS with feeling
81 stood here leaning on this railing, dirty
ragged little bcggar boy; and you asked me
this very question. Twelve years ago you
placed the bright flowers in my hands, and they
made me new boy, aye and they made Il man
of me, too Your face has been light ma'am
all along the dark hours Of my life, and this
day that little bcggar boy can stand on the old
place and say to you, though he's an humble
and hard-working man, yet thank Cod, he's all
honest one."
Tear drops trcmLlc like morning dew on the
shining laslles of the lady as she turned to her
husband, who had joined her and listened i'll
absorbed astonsllment to the workman's words
"God,n said she, "put it into my child heart to
do that little deed Of kindness, and see now
how great is the reward he has given me-
And the setting sun poured flood of rich
purple light over the group that stood there,
over the workman in his blue overha!ls, over
tho lady with her golden hair, and over the
proud looking gentleman at her side. Although
it WAS Il picture for u painter, the angels who
looked down OH it from heaven saw something
more than a picture there.
DIADoLlcaL.-In small town, i'll one of the
counties of Ohio, a stranger rode up to the
door OF tavern, and having di:lnountcd, or
dcred stall and some oats for his horse. ~
crowd of loafers-tnat class Of independent
citizens who are never equal to decent men
except on election day-swarmed abont tue
bar.room and steps, waiting to be "invited up
to the counter" Among this crowd the stran-
gers business was at once the subject of imper-
tincnt speculation. One fellow, more imPudent
than the rest, made free to inquire Of the trav-
ellcr what vocation he followed; to which the
latter replied that his business was secret at
present, but that he would probably make it
known before leaving town.
Having spent day or two looking around,
visiting the place where whiskey was sold, and
making various inquiries as to the amount re-
tailed, the number of habituRl drunkards in
the place; the number Of dogs kept by men
whose children never went to school or had
enough to eat-after, i'll short, making cont
plete moral inventory Of the town, he conclu-
ded to leave, and having mounted lis horse,
was about to be off, when his inQuistive friend,
| urged on by his associates, stepped up and said
ISee here, Captain, you promised to tell us
your business before you left, and we'd like to
hear from you OH that point"
| "Wcll," said the stranger, ain an agent
Gnr the deyil-I'm hunting location for h-ll,
and am glad that have found q place where
| L IN nrnspOt