The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-02-20
Annsehula aTutds.
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
Harry and Lucy.

of day, when thewind wasr roaring around
the house and blowing cold and angry
blasts, Lucy Vinton, sweet child of
eight years old, awoke her brother Harry
who was eighteen months older, and
said:
Brother Harry, have been thinking
about poor, old Aunt Susan, who lives at
the upper end of the street, and wonder
ing if she has plenty of fire to keep her
warm this bitter weather. The last time
| saw her, she looked so thin and weak,
and her clothes were almost worn out.
81 don't know" said Harry, "but |
should think she must have suffered a
great deal last night; for it was hard for
us even in our comfortable home and soft
feather bed, with all the blankents moth
er put over us, to keep warm. Suppose
we ask mother to let us 90 to see the old
woman after breakfast. 1t will not hurt
us to run up there if we put our wrap
pings on, and We can carry her something
to eat, for which, | know she will be very
thankful.
"0i brother, | am so glad you thought
of that; l am certain mother will not
care, for both of us remember how often
she has told us we must be kind to the
poor, and help them out of their distresses.
And no longer back than Sabbath, don't
you recolect that we were reading in the
Gospel of Luke about the poor beggar
Lazarus, that was taken by the angels
to Abraham's bosom, while the rich man,
after his death, lifted up his eyes in hell,
being in torment ?"
eyes, / remember all about it; and
that makes me think that Aunt Susan,
poor and friendless as she is, like Laza-
rus, is one of Gods dear children, and
therefore we should be all the more care
full to see that she does not suffer for
want of food, clothing, or fire. | wish it
was time for us to dress now, that we
might at once get ready to go, for | am
afraid the old woman is at this very time
shivering with cold and hungry"
Mrs. Vinton heard the conversation be-
tween her two darling children, although
they did not suspect it, as the hour was
rather earlier than when she usually
awaked. She said nothing, but in her
heart she breathed a silent prayer of
gratitude to the blessed Jesus, that he
had so early taught her dear little ones
to care for the suffering and needy, and
determined that Harry and Lucy should
not only go if they wished, but should
also take with them whatever they liked.
As soon as they found that their mother
was awake, they told her all their thoughts
and asked her permission to pay Aunt
Susan visit. This being granted, they
Immediately dressed themselves, bowed
in prayer, sung their morning hymn, and
read their daily lesson from Gods sacred
word. They then quickly ate their
breakfast, and putting up bottle of fine
coffee with basket of buttered rolls and
slices Of sweet, delicious bacon, they were
soon on the street running with merry
faces and rejoicing hearts to Aunt Su-
san humble, unpretending dwelling.
They found her up and sitting over a
few Goals of fire dying out on the hearth,
with cup of cold water in one hand
and a hard crust of bread in the other.
"Good morning, Auntie," said they
both, "we have brought you some good
warm coffee and rolls, which we buttered
with our own hands, and we want you to
eat them now, while they are hot and
fresh
"God bless you, dear children, said
the poor old woman. "You are dear
little angels to think of poor creature
like me. l can't thank you enough; but
do thank you, and thank the blessed
Jesus who sent you here, and | pray him
never, never to forget you who were so
mindful of one of his feeble and unwor-
thy servants. And truly, my babes,
Jesus will bless you. He will be your
friend. He will ever guard and defend
YOU. Just to think that at the very time
my weak stomach was needing something
to strengthen it, and l had nothing in
the world but water and dry, hard bread,
you two should drop down, as it were
from heaven, into my hut and bring me
such bountiful supplies of the very things
that l most needed o. it is Jesus that
turned your heart and your thoughts to-
wards me, and praise and magnify his
holy name, and as his ministering chill
dren, thank you again and again.
Harry and Lucy stood by and enjoyed
looking on as Aunt Susan breakfasted
heartily on the rolls and coffee they
brought her, though for time she could
hardly eat at all for the tears of thanks
that were rolling down her face, and the
praises that came from her lips, and the
blessings she implored upon the dear
children that had thought of her. At
last, however, she finished, and they then
asked her if she had any wood.
"No dears, said she, "my last is on
the FIRE, and | don't know where the next
is coming from; but God, who supplied
the widow cruise Of oil, and fed Elijah
in the wilderness, and sent You here this
morning, will not let me perish with
cold"
Harry and Lucy's hearts were deeply
touched, but they said nothing, except
that they promised to visit her again.
Then bidding her goodbye, they hurried
home, and told their mother all they had
seen and heard. Mrs. Vinton immedi-
ately ordered a cord of nice wood to be
sent to Aunt Susan, which kept her warm
a long time. The children too, inter