Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-11-26
Moral GaIs.
INTELLECT IN RAGS,

. ~ "sS ~ ofNAn "iuli 1leAVV
snow drifts lay piled up in the streets
of New York. and the whole appear
ance of the streets was very cold and
dismal. .g...
Seated on the steps of one of the
large dwellings, upon Fifth Avenue
was boy, apparently thirteen years
Of age. He was literally clothed in
rags, and his hands were blue, and
his teeth chattered with cold. Lying
upon his knees was newspaper he
had picked up in the street, aud he
was trying to read the words upon it.
He had been occupied thus for some
time, when two little girls, clad in
silks and furs, came toward him. The
eldest one was about twelve years
old. and so beautiful that the poor
boy raised his eyes aud fixed them in
undsguised admiration. ....
The child Of wealth stopped before
him. and, turning to her companion,
exclaimed -
Marian, just see this fellow on my
steps ] Boy, what are you doing
here ?"
am trying to learn to read upon
LAS little bit Of paper" answered the
boy.
The girl laughed derisively, and
said:
Well, truly ! I have heard of in
tel'ect in rags. Marian, and here it is
personifed."
Marian's soft hazel eyes filed with
tears. as she replied
"Oh, Louise, do not talk SO you
know what Miss Fannie teaches in
school, The rich and the poor meet
together, and the Lord is the maker
of them ALL" .....
Louise laughed again, and said to
the boy: ...s
Get up from here-you shall not
sit upon my steps-you are too rag
ged and dirty" .r -... ...
The boy arose, aud blush Grim
soned his face. He was walking
away. when Marian said:
Don't go. little boy, you are SO
cold come to my house and get
warm. Oh, do come" she continued,
as he hesitated and he followed her
into a large kitchen, where bright
fire was shedding its genial warmth
around .....
"Well, Miss Marian, who are you
bringing here now?" asked the SER
want woman.
a poor little boy, who is almost
perished |; you will let him get warm,
Aw{h you not, Rachel 2"
oh, hc shall warm sit here, little
boy and Rachel pushed chair in
| fs1at ofthe stove I; she then gave him
| piece Of bread and meat.
Marian watched these arrangements,
and then glided from the room when
she returned she had a primer, with
the first rudiments of spelling and
reading. Going to the boy, she said
Little boy, here is book that you
can learn to read from better than
piece of paper. Do you know your
letters ?"
Some of them, but not all. l new
er had anybody to teach me. l just
learned myself; but oh ! l want to
read SO badly" .... .-.t
Marian sat down beside him and
began to teach him his letters. She
was SO busily occupied in this work
! that she did not hear her mother en-
ter the room, nor hear Rachel explain
about the boy and she knew not
that her mother stood for some time
behind them, listening 10 her noble
child learning the beggar boy his let
| ters. asa -a..
There were but few that he had
not already learned himself, aud it
was not long before Marian had the
satisfaction of hearing him repeat the
whole alphabet. u..l
i When he arose to GO he thanked
Rachel for her kindness. aud offered
Marian her book. .....
"No, don't want it," she said, al
have given it to you to learn to read
4 from. Won't you tell me your name p"
l Jimmy" be replied.
81 will not forget you, Jimmy (; you
must always remember Marian Hayes"
was the little girls farewell.
Louise Gardner and Marian Hayes
were playmates aud friends. Their
dwellings, joined, aud almost every
hour Of the day they were together,
for they attended the same school.
) These two children were very differ
entity dispositioned and very different
/ ly brought up. Louise was proud
, and hanghty. Poverty in her eyes
was disgrace and crime, and she
thought nothing too severe for the
poor to suffer These views she learn
1 ed from her mother.
! Mrs. Gardner moved in oae exclu.