New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-12-14
The Boy and the Rainbow.


| A I d o the rainbow lies poF ri gold.
some rather inscriptions wag had told Johnny
psrson Sd and one afternoon, when o beautiful
shower had marched of TO the east with a splendid
rainbow on his back, like The gay sash Of militia Of
cer across his shoulders Johnny looked sharp for
the exact location of foot OF that bright bow of
PROMISE and saw precisely where it rested-in the
coruer OF his fathers great garden.
He snatched hoe, and slipped around behind the
she'd and ran for the charmed spot-wthout being
observed as he fondly fancied ; and on climbing the
last wall which intercepted his vision, what was his
disappointment to find that he was mistaken 10 the
locality that the foot Of the rainbow was quarter OF
mile beyond in little valley in the pasture. Never
mind thought Johnny" can run there directly
and it is not than digging in the garden after
ALL
Boy.like, he ran at full speed for the valley, scarce
ly looking at the object of his search till the brow
Of hill overlooking the golden valley when to his
great grief he that the glittering promise was
away on the opposite hill A tangled swamp lay in
his path; but the rainbow gold lay beyond Torn
clothes, torn feet, and bleeding hands were draw
backs to the enjoyment to be sure, but pot Of gold
would not only repay all damages, but also serve to
purchase a muCh.eoyeted ball and bat, upon which
young Johnny had set his affections.
But the most serious drawback to the enjoyment
was the final discovery, on emerging from the Dram
bles, that the rainbow was ,nowhere, and that the
setting sun had left but small legacy OF light to
the weeping earth for the benefit of our Johnny in
his homeward march over long mile OF swamp and
hill and valley. His father and mother spared him
sauce for such dish as he had made for himself
In the morning, his mother brought him his wet
and torn Clothes nicely dried and mended, and, with
smile and kiss, told him his father wished to see
him.
| For what could it be? Nothing bad, surely; for
! his mother would not betray with a kiss. He
hurried mp, and went to his breakfast, with look
which inquired what was meant but afraid to ask,
after all. Breakfast over his father said, kindly:
johnny, you want some money do yOu?"
Johnny looked down. and the rainbow began to
shine in his face well his thoughts for he blushed
| warmly
" And so you thought you would chase the rainbow
| last nght-led off by Billy Wilson's joke, 1t was no
use to slip beh n the wood house / saw you and
| guessed your Grand"
The rainbow grew all red on Johnny's face but
be was mute, and hardly peeped out from under his
/ hat to see what was coming next.
g You saw the foot of the rainbow in the garden
did your
Yes, father" Johnny said, timidy, and looked up
a little
well, so did l." added Mr.. Payson "and now get
your hoe, and come with me, and we'll dig there, and
you shall have half the money!
/ Johnny looked up full and fair, with world Of
wonder aud delight in his great eyes.
.'Why, father, thought you would call it all non
| sensel you said Billy was joking"
"0h well, we'll see if there is no gold there
! They went off to the great garden-Johnny in a
wonderment at every motion, and prompt to do what
his father directed. Mr.. Payson turned up the
ground with a spade, and Johnny raked it all over
and by direction of his father, very careful tc
pick up every pebble and stick which might interfere
| with the charm to be wrought. They furrowed the
land into little squares like checker-board, aud
| Johnny wondered and wondered till directly MIR
| Payson produced bag of some small matter, into
| which the boy began to look.
/ "Why, father, that's carrot seed You are plant
ingearrots Thought we were going to dig gold =
| His face fell considerably at the discovery,
mot digging gold to-day, my son. but getting
ready In the fall when the carrots are grown, well
dig there beautiful gold, and you shall have more
money to purchase what you desire than if you were
chasing ranbows all the year,
Johnny was not quite satisfied, for the gold fever
was on him high at that time but when the harvest
came, he learned very pleasant aud permanent les
son-that industry in regular, productive channels is
worth much more than the golden roots of all the
raiubows since Noah's food, [Student.