The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-01-12

oysters and fragrant coffee or for the
young ladies who must have something
new and brilliant to say to each successive
round of callers, and must look pretty and
smile sweetly all the time without letting
any one dream how tired they were.
1--WE are free at last" said Blanche,
throwing herself into an easy chair
81 began to think the visits were never
to end" said Ellen.
"What lovely cape jessamines; where
did you get them, Nell 2"
But Ellen bent over the list of calls, and
pretended to be too busy counting to have
heard the question.
"W hat an uncommon amount Of heat
this coal throws out" remarked George
mschievously; 'just look at Ellen's face,
it must be nearly blistered, from the color
of it."
"Father, didn't you promise us a story
tonight 2" she asked abruptly.
"Hadn't you better take a seat nearer
to papa, before he begins % inquired her
brother.
"Why ?" she asked quite innocently.
"Only because, as your hearing is rath-
er bad tonight, you may lose some of the
story"
1--WE shall lose it all if you don't keep
quiet there. Please begin now, father"
Gone Newly ears morning, more than
forty years ago, little boy like-let me
think, where is such boy well, he had
blue eyes like our Wilhe's, and brown
curls but they were not soft and glossy
like his, for they never had been brushed
around the snowy fingers of fond sister,
and his mother was too feeble u consump-
tive to attend to them. Well, this little
boy got up when the first streaks of dawn
were visible through the chinks Of his
garret, and, putting on his ragged clothes,
which had either been made for a smaller
boy than he, or for him a long time ago,
took a package in his arms, and saying,
"never fear, mother, I'll bring home some
thing worth while tonight" started out
to sell his New-Y ears Addresses. For
months he had looked forward to this day,
hoping then to gain what he could never
spare from his scanty earnings, enough to
get him some decent clothes. Hope was
i'll his heart, and that made his step light;
for his little papers, which he had prepa-
red SO carefully, were laughed at, and
pronounced not worth a penny. Now and
then he sold one, but o, how different
were the stray dimes, which thus found
their way to his pocket, from the silver
day-dreams which had cheered him onward
in his hours of toll Cold and weary, he
at last stopped at a large house which had
the name Of Howard on the door | don't
think he Will ever forget that name," Mr.
T. said, with a twinkle in his eye. "He
was shown into handsome parlor, where
sat the master of the mansion, in a large
crimson armchair, with books and peri
odicals scattered about him, while a young
girl, who was more like the boys dream
of the angels in that Heaven Of which his
mother talked to him, than any earthly
being he had ever seen, was sitting on
low seat beside her father, singing a new
years chant. The girl opened her large
brown eyes in wonder on their ragged lit
tie visitor-now, that [ think of it, they
must have been something like your eyes,
Blanche-but the gentleman received him
very kindly, and, having talked with him
some time, glanced over his address,"
and asked who wrote it.
81 did" was the reply, "but my moth
er helped me to compose it."
And to his further inquiries the artless
story Of his fathers death, fastened by IN
temperance, and his mothers i'll health,
was almost unconscously revealed. 1t
was so long since the boy had been spo-
ken to in tones of kindness by any one
save his mother, that he could not help
opening his heart.
"You have some talent, my boy" said
the gentleman in conclusion continue
to be industrious, and be always strictly
honest in speech and action, and | hope
to see you great man yet"
He put piece of money into his hand,
which, in the dim light, the boy supposed
was half dollar; and, thanking the gen
tleman i'll words for the money, and in his
heart for the kind encouragement he had
given him, was about to leave the house,
when the brown-eyed little girl, who had
slipped out of the room while before,
called him back, and forced upon him
basket containing cold turkey, cakes, and
some nice jelly for his sick mother. The
tears stood in her eyes when she gave
them to him, SO the boy was not ashamed
of those which sprung to his.
That last call was worth more to him
than all the rest; SO, in telling his moth
er of his adventures, he touched but light
ly on his disappointment, and gave quite
an animated account of the kind gentle
man and his pretty daughter.
When he took out his money to count
it, he found that the piece given him last