The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-07-24

MISS MerCOL SHdICu HcF ulUucE Will
him every day, removing thus one
cause of the boys restlessness and
disobedience for every one knows a
fnll stomach--disposes one to be more
genial and orderly than an empty one
can possibly do. Indeed, We have Of
ten thought that if the city missiona-
ries would carry good dinner to the
poor sinners, and afterwards tract,
the chance of converting them would
be much greater.
They walked home together, Friday
evening, the school-ma'am and the
little ragged, bare-footed, almost hat
less pupil. She made the way pleas
ant to him, talking to him Of the beau
tiful world that they lived in, and
pointing ont the various interesting
things that were around ttem-the
old gray mountains in the distance,
with the purple shadow Of evening
dropping over them the green fields
beside them, with the white lanbkins
sporting over them; the dim forest,
with its cathedral allies stretching far
into the distance the blooming or
chards, with their snowy promises !;
the little brooklet, with its singing
waves the brown and yellow birds,
filing the scented air with their clear
notes and lastly, the scarlet West
with the amber currents of sunshine
playing over it in gorgeous tides.
And when she knew his heart was in
terested, and full of unutteFable feel
ing. she said quietly. What good
God to place us in world so fair.
Would you not like to know some
thing more about Him, Willie ?
Would you not like to study that Ho-
ly Book of His, which he has given
to mankind to show them the way to
Heaven ?"
ooh! yes ma'am.'' And the boy
spoke devoutly.
at thought Won would so I asked
you. I am going to have class in
the Sunday school, and shall open it
next Sunday. You will come, Willie
and be one of my scholars"
I'd like to, ma'am." AND then
he glanced at his bare feet, and his
ragged clothes, and sighed as he added
"But I don't see how l can. These
are all the clothes / have to wear"
"I'ye thought of that Willie and
if you will come tomorrow morning
to the Deaeon's, and let me have your
jacket awhile, TIL mend it up for you ;
and here's a quarter I'll give you, to
go to the store and buy yon o new
hat. You can get good straw one
for that, can't you ?"
ooh /! yes. Dear me, how good
yon are to me I don't see what
makes you so. Everybody else frets
and scolds at me, and says Tn go to
the p enitentiary yet, I'm so bad.
II love you, Willie, and that is
why treat you as I do. An orphan
myself, I can feel for your lonely life.
Heaven only knows what I might have
been, had not frien dis cared for me
when my father and moth er died, and
left me alone in the wide world.
Willie, I've great hopes ofyou. You
learn quick, remember well, and see
into things easily. You are capable
of making yourself good name in the
world. Yeu will do it, too; ! know
you viii. Don't you believe It p
And she looked hopefully into his
eyes.
II want to oh if / only couldl
I'll try !! I'll study hard every day,
and I'll go to Sunday school every
Sunday And if do grow up good
I'll lay it all to you, for no one else
ever cared for me. They even grudg-
ed me my victuals. Oh 4! but I've
seen hard times.n And tears trick
led down his cheeks.
Don't think of them, Willie.
Look forward. There is sunny. fu-
ture in store for you. Good night.
Don't forget to bring the jacket"
X x x
"What under the sun have you in
your hands Miss Merton ?" said Mrs.
Gray, the next morning as the school,
ma'am entered the kitchen.
Why it's Willie's jacket. I've
promised to mend it for him, so that
he can go to Sun day school to-mor-
row, and I've come to beg some patch
es."
Mercy on me, but you can never
mend that ragged thing"
oh !? yes I can. Where can /
find some patches ?"
"Why there's lots of them in the
loft over the wood-shed. I store
them up there for carpet-rags all
through the winter, and in the spring
take them down, and wash them up,
and sort them over. But you can
never do anything with that old