The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-11-05
The Good Deed in Season.
BY MISS VIRGINIA. F. TOWNSEND.

8
SCAT awav witt, Won. you dirty old beggar
howl I'd ike 10 know what right you have
IN lootx oyer the fence at our flowers 2"
The sneaker was a little boy not more than
eleven wears old, and though Sometimes peo-
nile called Il handsome, his face looked very
harsh and disgraceful just then.
he stood in beautiful garden, just in the
suburbs of the city: and it was then June
time, and the tulips were opening themselves
10 the sunshine. Oh, it was a great joy to
look at them, as they bowed gracefully to the
light winds, their neeks OF yellow, of crimson
and Of carnation. The beds fanked either
side of the path that curved around a small
arbor, where the young grape clusters that
lay hidden among the leaves wrote a beauti-
full prophecy tor Autumn.
A white paling ran in front of the garden,
and over this the little beggar boy SO rudely
addressed was leaning. He was very lean,
very dirty, very ragged. / am afraid, little
children, you would have turned away in dis
gust from so repulsive q spectacle; and yet
God and the angels loved him. & 81 So
He was looking, with all his soul in his eyes,
on the beautiful blossoms as they swayed to
and fro in the summer wind, and his heart
soitened as he laid his arm on the fence rail-
ing, and forgot everything in that long alb
sorbed gaze. An, it was seldom the beggar
boy saw anything SO beautiful, and it was sad
his dream should have. such rude awak-
ening. taS ~ Ht s4
The blood rushed up to his face, and a fun
glance of evil and defiance flushed to his ewes.
But before the boy could retort, a little girl
sprang out from the arbor and looked eagerly
from one child to tie other. She was very
fair, with soft hazel eyes, over which drooped
long shining lashes. Rich curls hung over
her bare white shoulders, and her lips were
the color Of the crimson tulip blossoms. 'og
Glow could you speak SO cross to the boy
Hinton ~ she asked, witha tone of sad re-
proach quivering through the sweetness of
her voice. "I'm sure it doesn't do us any
harm to have him look at the flowers as long
as he wants TO-" -
"Well, Helen urged her brother, slightly
ashamed, 81 don't like to have beggars gap
ing over the fence, it looks SO low
NOW that's all notion of yours, Hinton,
I'm sure il the flowers do anybody any good
we ought to be very glad. "Little boy,p and
the child turned to the beggar boy and address
sed him as courteously as though he had been
aprince, 'I'l pick you some of the tulips, ii
you viii wait moment" tbesa1 81 3 aifs
"Helen, do believe you are the funniest
girl that ever lvedw calculated the child's
brother, as he turned away, and with low
whistle sauntered down the path, feeling very
uncomfortable, for her Conduct was strong
er reproof than any words could have been.
Helen picked one of each specimen of the
tulips, as there was great variety Of these,
and gave them to the child. His face brighten
ed as he received and thanked her. II 81 500
Oh, the little girl had dropped pearl Of
greatprice into the black bilIoW of the boys
life; and the after years should bring it up,
bright and beautiful again.
Twelve years had passed. The little blue
eyed girl had grown into tall graceful wo-
man. One bright June afternoon she walked
with her husband through the garden, for she
was on visit to her parents.
The place was little changed, and the tulips
had opened their lips of crimson and gold to
the sunshine just as they had done, twelve
years before. 3ga ssssBo4a as .oE
Suddenly they observed a young man in a
workmans over-alls leaning over the fence,
his eyes wandering eagerly from the beautiful
flowers to herself. He had q frank. pleasant
countenance, and there was something in his
manner that interested the lady and gentle
man. ,saHfn0a s5es31 atdaT iaog ~ Bassrsia
"Look here, Edward,' she said, sI,ll pluck
him some Of the flowers. 1t always does me
good to see people admiring them !" and re-
leasing her husbands arm she approached the
paling, saying -and the smile upon her lips
was very ikelthe old child one-"are you fond
OF flowers, sir 1t will give me great pleasure
to gather you some." fT'-IS t99
The young workman looked moment very
earnestly into the face. "Twelve years this
very month, he said, with a voice deep, yet
tremulous with feeling. 81 stood here, leaning
on this railing, a dirty, ragged little beggar
boy, and you asked me this very question.
Twelve years ago you placed the bright flow
ers in my hand, and they made me a new boy |
-syf and they have made man of me too |
Your face has been light ma'am all along |
the dark hours. of my life, and this day the lit
tie beggar boy can stand on the old place and |
say to you, though he is an humble and hard |
working man, yet thank God he's an honest |
one" i7ss1rw I'm -sFr.4.s=-es.ss snrs |
Tear drops glistened like morning dew on |
the shining lashes Of the lady, as she turned to
her husband, who had joined her, and listened |
IN absorbed establishment to the work-msn's |
words. sszalali-ttat ~ -t1-'T
God" she said, @put it into my heart to do |
that little act Of kiRdness,- and see how great |
is the reward he has given me-" aab-1e ISL
:, And the setting sun poured rich Aeod of
ngnt over the group that stood there-over
the workman In his blue over-alls, over the
laey with her gentleman at her side. 7slve7g U /
surely 1t was picture for a painter. but /
tne angels who looked down from heaven saw
something more than a picture there. -