The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-26
Thursday Morning, Jan. 2e, 1861
The Luok-Psnpnyy... :.
BY MRS. PHOEBE H. PHELPS.


OF money Tor many month, but silver luck
penny.
Aud though he was sometimes hungry, and
often Iaint, longing for tempting food and re-
freshment, the luck penny lay unspent-as
carefully kept as il it were a charm. Did Wnl
really believe it had some magic to draw its
fellows into its company 10 gather around il
treasurer ~ 49,. -. g,
1t was the last thing given him at home. .
"All onsnoreW the ship had taken up her
plank-and was off, Handkercheis and hats
and hands were waving the last cheer an d
blessings. A little dime rang on the deck,
with good aim. Win saw who threw it, for
his eyes were lingeringiy, lovingIy " and mourn
fully on the dear old uncle who had taken a
taLner's place to him. a 9am SO aae9 8aa2g'
"Yeur luck-penny, viii! Good go with it!1
shouted the cheerful hearted old man.
And Viii had TO brush away his tears, and
smile as he picked it up, and waved anoth-
er and heartier good bye to the dear, good
man. 5as eF ISIS oiialld aca sf3s
That luck penny had been common dime,
but it was q common dime no longer. A
thought, q feeling, an association can so soon
give new character and value to base, dull
matter. On that poor dime Will saw u
smile that warmed his heart, look of min
gled tenderness and courage and manly
strength thst nerved and strengthened him.
just like his uncle, and like no one else, to toss
up that luck penny then! ~ 5tg,
Win kept when his need urged him TO spend
it, Tor he could not balance it againstthe trife
it would have purchased, a little food or 4
cool drink. Besides he had secret feeling
that it might bring mcknight be a magneb
that would draw gold, how or whence he
could not tell. Kept, it would bring good for
tune-lost, good fortune would be lost hAnd
SO viii bore his poverty and waited-the luck
penny sale In his pocket, but the good luck
did not come. ~ sSisA 9al bsTsH4 sg
He did not know the true secretof these
LUCK pennies-that they are to be speat not
kept; and spent in a certain way to work their
happiest charm. Then they are sure to bring
good luck-draw treasure - have a power
more excellent than man ever faneied in the
long sought philosophers stone.
At last Will was satisfied that there was no
use in keeping his luck penny idle in hi
pocket, else his kindness overcame every 9th.
er motive, for one day when he saw some fine
grapes on the suffers stall, his luck penny
went for Them, and they went to refresh sick
comrade. 1t was no studied art in Will to
spend his money 40, but for all that was
cunningly, wisely spent. The grapes, and the
kindness that gave them to the sick and home
sick man, we've like drops of new life to him
and the change in his face when he second
time thanked Will for them, was better to him
than vineyards wealth.
Wills luck penny soon came back. An old
soldier had received it in change from the suit
Ter. He noticed the initials cut into it, Nv
W." -s rr~o a~gJ > -2 !
whats this sshe said. .,'will Waters, is this
your markr'
Will looked. sH W
you've got my luck penny" HAs q 81
"You spent it?"
"Yesn 81,
"Oa, you bought them grapes for Edison
with it. Sure enough. Well it is a luckpenny
for ison says they Just saved him. They
were worth everything to him. Here take il
and spend 1t again, and see Ii it'll bring as good
luck next time" ~ 81 ili.i q poss 6 afise
IL was tossed to Will, who picked it up,
now saying, ut should now bring double
luck" r,.qr rY t1,F Frasgf
'And may it so!" was the earnest response
of the old soldier who had Just parted with its
II did; ayoung soldier, who held a grudge
against Will, was in the irst1stage of fever.
Will saw how he was suffering, and gave, his
luck penny for couple OF oranges, Just what
the siekening soldier crayed and needed. He
looked az the oranges as Will offered them to
him, and turned away his head. <se8
"For you, Hovey p said Win. N Ga
Hovey still held his head averted, though
tears were gathering 10 his eyes. Will drop.
ped the oranges into his haversack's maath
and lett him. Hovey turned, a tear fell on
the lruit, and he called out, .Thank you
Waters p before Will was quite out of hear
ing. iA2
When aovey was lying in hospital, he asked
for Waters, and stretching out his hand at his
approach, exclaimed, "You have got the bet
ter of me Letus be friends!" h q r
"Wedre friends" answered Will, sand were
no great enemies when such tride could rec
Oncie u.s." $3.50 goa 4f .ssHdH i1sisl1 81 Gta sd
"A triflel no act of magnanimity is trillng
Besides, the fruit was an elixir to me, and
hained a nafurp in her afruOpla with dieaaGap pf
Will blessed the little silver bit anew, and
hastened to write his uncle Of the good work
II had done. 8ffg ssrrtrE
Again ald again his luck-penn came back
to him, until he could not help thinking that
the generous old soldier who had fest return
ed it., had some agency in the matter, and
charged him with it. He neither admitted
nor denied, but laughingly made answer that
there was no use In trying to account for luck
and that so long as he spent his money for
others, il would no doupt come back to him
to be spent. 1t kept coming back to him Sc
often, that Will was satisfied that there was
an understanding between him and the sutler
that it was never to be allowed to go beyond
those who knew it's history, and would be sure
to keep it or its works of kindness. They into
whose hands it fell, either gave it to Will to
spend anew, or initiated him in spending il
for Others, and in this way it furnished Sc
much relief, and was source of SO much
good feeling, that it was a luck-penny to the
whole regiment. 1t was noticeable that il any
one spent itfOr Sc f-indulgence, 1t never came
back into his hands again. and he was in many
things luckess man thereafter .1I43
Though the luck-penny was slow in bring
ing gold to Will, it constantly furnished him
with the best.of all pleasures, that of doing
good, aud secured him what was better than
gold, the respect, admiration and gratitude OF
his companions-luck enough for one smal
dime to bring. ~
But at last it brought him gold. Edison lay
dying and sent for him. 9T
Take my wallet, Will" be said. "I give il
to- you. l have no one of kin who needs it
and you have been to me more than broth
err"
81 cannot take It," answered Will; "give
to those who have some claim upon you"
''No one has more claim than you. hav'
never forgotten the luck-penny that saved m
life, and heartily wish that every coiu In M
gift to you may be a charm to draw blessings
into yonr own bosomi Take it, Waters; no
one will use it so well''
~ take it In trust, then-to be spent fo
Others" a
"As you will, since it is yours" said Ed
SON."
The wallet held little fortune to poo
youth like Waters, but 1t all went In luck-pen
MES among the sick, and wounded. an,
wretched. soothing pain, comforting sorrow
renewing life, doing good according to oppor
tunity; and bringing In hundred.foid Ii
blessings to him who had thus devoted It tc
It's best ofices.--l Congregationalist. -