The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-04-06
Srlrrtra Sturu.
From the Home Magazine .
Gift 8.
BY HELM X. CUTLER.

BY hELrS X. CUTLER.
"a very small gift may some,imes
cause ere., pleasure" SAYS Miss Milford,
'yet how chary we arc Of our gifts, ever,
when giving will net irppov erich, nor
Withholding enrich us.
A smIic, n kind ~or.l, what treasures
they may prove; but how ncxl.c,ful se
are to bcstow them. They have in them
a quickenIng power; they convey vital
ar 10 the depressed spirit.
tried Al experiment once, illustrative
OF these truths. Walking out one even.
ing, ] stopped At the house Of poor ~id
o~, ~L"M had sometimes employed to
wash Tor me, and whose two interesting
chI'dJen were especial favorites Of niue.
l found her sitting llstIessly over their fee
Die lire. with hands folded in her lap. Ill.
very picture Of hopelessness and despair.
!hree wears before, her husband had
been xiiIei by the fail OF tree. Preyi.
ous To this, they had eul.isted on tb.
wage. OF lilo daily laLo,. aud afte. Lis
death, besiIe the burden OF her grief, she
had I" nea! that Of tniliug Gr the sup.
pert .. hgr hit!s family. Her strength
wholly fail, snG she and her children be
com" I"gvsrs. This appalling prospec,
"Hp'e~s"d her .uerg-- still further, aud
it2r q I..e evil .he dreaded, WAS fact
lT;nS'nE II upon h-,.
Her little grrl, che told rue, had lust re
turned from taking home some clothes
sLe had been washing for y lady in the
u" 81 HorHoCd. Tho laly WAS absent from
nomo, aud she i.ii-d 10 get the money
she expected, aud Of which she stood
greatly IN need to supply present wan,,.
gently obisined her confidence.
They bad no food ia tue house. bu,
some potatoes aud corn meal. She said
shs had been thinking Ill day, over her
work, tina, she would take some Of the
money SIZE was earning. and buy some
n'c. l'tl'e re.ish ior supper, her appetite
WAS so poor. She ADDED, th., perhsps
she ~so ungIateful in induIxing = r.pin
ing spirit, aud ought to be thankful ths,
She had any food, when thousands, she
supposed. were starving, but she felt IA if
she should sInk, and couldn't help it. She
WA S'ra'd she WAS gong to be sid up
with fever she felt il iii her bones
took her hand. II was dry snd burn.
i"s. tier breguI had fetid .melI. |
knew these leverigh symptoms might pro
coed iron! depressed st.,e Of mind. and
thst mind and body to React upou each
other 1t ia often difficult to tell where the
hrs. cause Of disease lies, or 10 which 10
Apply the remedy in this case, thought
both had been too heavily burd-ned.
hSd tso shIlings in my pocket.
had no more. had placed It there to
purchase Tor myself some little grs,ifica
ton that might suggest itself sail, |
VIII treat myself to y greater one than |
intended, and us sn interesting erperi
ipent besides. Rising, / said 10 the wid
o~. l "'n going ont for = few moments.
Sit where YOU are, till ! return
She looked up inquiringIy, aud seeing
me smile, she said, i will
Now. said 10 myself, as | gained the
street, | must bring little Of my srith
'Tneuc INTO reauIsition, snd Law out this
quarter OF dollar to the best advantage.
u shall furnish supper 6tfor Ring, and
will prepare 1t myself for that poor for.
lorn soul. went to a shop q little wav
on, we're varioas articles in the eating
line were Kept for sale, 20 invest my two
shlII'nps. Before ] went in, made out
list OF the items | intended to purchase,
and their cost, on leat Of my note book.
II was like this
app'es, cents.
Small wheat loaf,
Half pound Cefiee,
Do do Sugar,
A slice of Ham, and two or three
eggs for the remaining, q
Having obtained my purchases, | Dor.
rowed basket Of the kind sbopman. and
placing them in II. returned 70 the wild
ows. Setting my basket on The table. |
said to liItle Mary, Nov, want some
more fire In the stove and she run out 10
get a basket Of chips, aud took of my
th'ngs, and began TO hustle about in a
business like manner. The wido~ smiled
feebIy. She bad suspicion of ms de,
sign. "
Now, don't want you TO interfere With
me. ] am mistress Of the house for n liz.
tie while ! said, pIayfully, rs / took a
basin from the cupboard, aud pouriog