Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-08-28
Mistelluneous..
THE LITTLE strawberry eIaL.

'OtrH 'Oersrlcsl StraWiOCI"rlcS VINO VIII
buyf Who will buy ?"
The musical voice of Nellie thrilled tho words
so ~swcetly, that he memory Of the tones fingered
with the passer by as he went on to his daily
task, haunted him through the long hours Ike
the remembrance of a joy that has passed away.
Her rosy face, too, was worthy OF n place IN mem
ory. with It's sunny smiles and dimples, shaded 10y
careless material curls, and it's soft blpck eyes,
large and full and dreamy. 1t was not beautiful
only, but 30 indicative OF goodness and purity, and
all that we most love and cherish as a heart picture
OF childhood.
Many an eye turned to look after Nellie, MS she
TIPPED along in the bright June morning, in her
neat pink calico and white apron. and large straw
hat shading her pretty face, while her little bas-
kets of fruit, covered with dewy, fresh green leaves
were strung picturesquely over her arms and
shoulders aud her hands contained each q large
basket, filled to OVERLOOKING with the smaller ones.
She was so neat and attractive in her aspect, that
many who would have passed others by Undecided
stopped to purchase the tempting fruit of Nellie,
who was well known, as she came with the other
beautiful things Of summer, and trilled her ligh;
song like a bird beneath tn Q open windows
"Straw. Der ries! Straw.ber .ries ! Who will
buy? Who will buy 2"
Come in, child what is your price 2"
"Tenpence a basket, miss"
Nelly stepped into the hall of n fashionable
house in Montague street, where a young lady
stood in her morning robe with flowers in her
hand, just gathered from the conservatory, and
surrounded with all the appliances of wealth and
luxury.
"Well, they are worth all that-so fresh and
ripe. Give me half q dozen baskets. Here,
Mary"
And, while Mary emptied the baskets, she
drew out her portmonnaie and dropped the sixty
cents, in tives and tens. into Nellie's little purse
not into her hand, as the reader must renem.
Der for this apparently trivial act was the pivot
on which turned the moral event Of the day and
of our story.
The smile with which she received the money
AMI thanked her for it, penetrated like a sunbeam
into the heart IF Minnie Hamilton, for there was
coldness there-the chill of discomfort ard d;sap,
poiutment, which will find their way sometimes
even into luxurious homes and the association
of poverty and contentment seemed very incon,
gruous to one born in atfiuence, as she had been.
you seem very happy" she said, responding to
Nellie's smile. "D0 you earn your living by sell
ing strawberries ?"
Yes, miss. In the summer l sell berries in
the winter go to school part of the day, ard
help mother the other part"
"And what makes you so happy ? Can you tell
me the secret ~
Mother says that we must be bright and hap,
Py; because we nave 50 much to be thankful
Minnie looked at her in amazement. $50 much
to be,thapkful for p thought she ''and in their
position How does your mother support herself,
child
"She takes in common sewing, miss. Some
times she sews half the night"
Then what in the W orld has she to be so very
thankful for Z" she exclaimed and a silent self
reproach came stealing up from her heart, that
she had often rmured over some evil in her
own lot, which certainly seemed q bright one in
comparison.
Nellie smiled again sweetly as she answered:
Some people, as good as we are, have no home,
and have nothing to eat. But mother end l have
a little room to live in. She sings at her work
oil day lonO. hecause. sha snva. (Ind ia sO good to
us. We have bread and potatoes every day, and
on Sundays we have meat. Don't you think mics
that is something to be thankful for ?" she asked.
simply
Adesper tint glowed upon Minnie's che elk.
Eyes, yes, child, ~ she answered nervously and
then followed a pause, during which she stored
away in her heart, like hidden treasure, the lesson
which Nellie had taught her, and which was to BE
re perused often in after years, when discomfort
caused her to murmur at some little cloud, real OF
imaginary, that hung over her destiny. Ant
she thought within herself-"It is your own sun
ny heaat, poor child, that robes the world for 20
in its own lovelighted and rose.tinted atmosphere
You are happier tar than l may God torgiV
mel"
Minnie Hamilton, q beautiful girl Of eightee
was an only daughter, petted and idolized by be
parents. Indulgence had inj ured, though it ha
not spoiled her.. So fully had every wish of he
heart Deea gratifed from her birth, that she r.
yarded it as q kind privilege, peculiar to her col
dition, to murmur if the slightest shadow can
between her and the %fulfllment of her most e1
travagant desires. Poor Minnie poor thong
Astounding in riches. cone thing thou lackest.'
one thing. which wealth can not purchase-tt
Joy of q sunny and contented heart.
Yet Minnie had noble qualities generosity an
active benevolence, with strong moral and relii
ious principles. One shadow Of discomfort, clou,
ed them all.
Nellie had put her little purse into the pocket
her apron and now she issued into the sire
aoaiu and her strawberry song. u
iii she was summoned by another customer, wi
purchased largely. AS she was about adding s.
nayment she received to her little store, she d
coyered among the fves and tens a gold doll
which had evidently been given her by mistake
the first purchaser.
Il will go right back with it," thought n,
lie.
She waited, however, to re'arrange her baske
and while doing SO, the tempter came with G.
thoughts, to test her strength of principle.
"Why go back with it said the wicked voic
"perhaps the lady meant to give H."
but / do not know that" said the tender co
science of Nellie.
"Well you can do good with it." said the vol
appealing artfuily to her maj love you G
purchase something for your mother. She wor
hard enough for all she has, and this will buy b
q neat dress to wear to church"
For a moment--only a moment-Nellie liste
ed TO the sinful suggestion, and she thought "hC
pleasant il would be to carry a nice calico to de
mother, and how pretty she Wouiu look IN 10.
Perhaps, too. she could earn enough to day to b.
a bonnet to match and how happy that won
make her ~
But suddenly the smile died away on Nellii
lip her step grew less light. There was a weig
at her heart. Il was the burden of a guilty thong
She had parleyed with evil, and its shadow "
on her path. 1t had dimmed the happiness viii
innocence had hitherto bestowed,
And now happily for Nellie, conscience, til
"yoice of God in the soul" came powerfully
her aid. 1t recalled wildly the precious Saba
evening, when her mother sat with her at I
window, Just as the sun was sinking, and aft
their scanty supper had been disposed of.
"Nellie, my darling" she said, as she laid b
head upon her knee, and smoothed back her da
hair, .'ysu could not go to Sunday school to d
because you had no shoes to wear Perhaps
can earn a pair before next Sabbath, but / "