The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-04-14

circumstance Of BIRTH Ii halo of clor,
rests upon the brow in the hour of death
and the last memories of earth are of du
ties truly and nobly doneit will matter moth
ing at all where the cradle Of infancy was
rocked. The son of God-tllc Savior o
Man-was born in a Manger, where the
beasts Of burden were stalled 2
mover saw so sudden a chanoe. and one
SO palpable and deep, come over a huuan
face, AS had come over his when I ceased
speaking. There was a brilliant, hopeful
light beaming out through his tears, and
even in the quiver Of his lip there was stern
and holy purpose. lie told mo he had
been to school some, but that the bows
laughed at linn, and made sport of his
mlstortunes. lie dared not resent their
insults, for then they would only speak
more tauntingly, and sometimes strike
home to his heart through his mothers
fall! The memory of one bitter sneer
would haunt him through whole dav,
and make his heart ache.
could not bear it, he said and 7 bc~.
@cd "t MIR. Fisher not to Send me TO
school and finally, when had plead ve,y
hard, lie said if | would study evenings,
he would let me try it. O-sir-perl.aps
You will laugh Il, mc,-Lut tlouyh-if-
ut some day. could he Il better and
greater man than any Of those who have
made sport Of me--l should bc-be-"
: BE what {! said !, as lie hcsi,e,l.
he-harpy-not out Of spitc,-but lap
ny in my own success
And did you think i would help YOU =
| asked him.
i hoped You woull,' he replied. 4
thought YOU looked very kind, and that
you woulii- not turn me away. heard
some OF the scholars ut the academy talk
ing, and when !! heard them tell how they
loved you, | felt sure that YOU would be
good TO me-
fairly began TO love the l:,tl, fellow, and
as made the emotion manifest he seemed
TO feel 1t at once, for he became more free,
and spoke his hopes and aspirations more
warmly. soon comprchcnled the whole
plan he had been dreaming over. lie had
resolved to be a great man if il law in his
power, and every energy of his soul was
bent in that direction. The giLes and
snecrs Of his companions had gwen him
The spur, and his ambition lcarcd up strong
and powerful. I told him that | would
help Ii III all | cou'L-that lie should have
the use Of any es my books, and that l
would hear rs many rccitations as he could
properly prepare himself for. lie caught
my hand, and pressed it 10 his lips and
think he would have gone down upon his
knees if I had Tot held him up.
AS soon rs he had become somewhat
calm, gave him book, and asked him TO
read TO me. | was astorishcd, for | had
few scholars who could read so well. lie
told me that Ills mother taught him to read
when he was very small, and that he had
read all the old papers and books he could
get hold of. lie knew nothing of gram
mar, however, and but very little of aritl.-
metic; so | gave him work on grammar,
and one Oh arithmetic, and marked lessons
for him to learn.
Ia
l ielt an interest on two accounts in the
rev work l had thus taken upon my hands.
First,-1 felt a real interest in the bows
welfare, and, meant to help linn because
had actually come to love him. And, sec
ondly, had desire to see how fast, and
how far, one under his circumstance could
so. saw that, he had a fair intellect
nothing moreno great native poiuts OF
mental power, nor any brilliant parts
| knew that all he gained would be due to
his firm will and perseverance, and meant
to see how the poor unfortunate child O,
shame and sorrow would fashion a future
from the uncovered circumstances which
had thus far attended him through life.
On the next day l met Mr.. Fisher in
the post office, and l spoke to linn o.
Hugh's visit to me. | found the old far
mer ready and willing TO help the boy al! Le
could.
Hell Lave good many leisure hours,
he said, and he'd better be studying thai.
to be doing nothing. If you can teacl
him SO that he can write and cipher some
and perhaps parse some easy gramma,
pieces, it may be good thing for him"
could not help smiling at the old man.
honest simplicity; but thanked him fol
his promise to help me in tie work, arc
then left him.
On the very next evening Hugh came t<
my room, and he had committed about 81,
times as much as I had given him to do
and lie had done it Understandings.
But ] need not follow him throunb al
his studies. At first 1 believed that h,
must have been over with the studies be