Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-07-21
Cleans of Sunshine.

OicainS OF SUNSHINE.
STORY FOR cHILDREN.
From away back among the years gone
forever, floats down to me the memory Of
morning dark and cloudy in the outer world
dark, too, in our home world, iorwe watch
ed with anxious hearts our first born in the
crisis Of a disease dangerous to childhood
She had slept far into the dreary morning
but as we watched the black clouds rolled
away and left the blue sky smiling, and the
sunshine danced in delight to eulold the flow.
ers in its passionate embrace again. As it
poured food of radiance in at the window
our little darling awoke, and in her face we
read that the danger had passed, and so the
sunshine of happiness flooded our hearts once
more A few days an She was again around
the house. but pale and weak, aud, as the
days went BY with scarcely any increase Of
strength, We interested her in the flower
garden, and through all the early summer
months she passed large portion of her time
there.
One morning as she was gathering bouquets
for the house, She saw poor. pale boy lean
ing over the fence, eyeiug the flowers with
u
about those she held in her hand, She gave
them to him and asked if he loved flowers.
ooh, yes :" he said, and claspng the
blossoms over his face, he burst into tears
Little May had a tender heart, and she
asked him no questions waiting until his
sobs should cease, but her little face grew
sad, and her blue eyes misty with tears.
"Little girl" said he through his tears,
my mother loved roses. She had so many,
and she is dead now"
May asked him where he lived and be
said " Nowhere" He had travelled from
Boston since his mother had died, sometimes
finding lodgings, oitouer lying on the damp
ground all night was just wanting to
die" said he " | was so hungry and tired;
then saw the roses, and they made me think
Of mother and again his tears shut out the
flowers from his sight
May called a family council, aud the boy
was offered home with US for a short time,
entirely through Mays in,ercession, for mann.
mas sister Emily thought it very foolish to
encourage strolling children, and mamma
began TO think so too. Aunt Emily talked
so positively, but May put her arms around
her papas neck and said" Oh, papa his
father is dead, and his mother too. How
lonesome he is % and she burst out crying
So papa told the boy he could stay few days,
and help May take care OF the flowers.
What happy days they were for May had
no brothers o. sisters old enough to play with
her, and this boy seemed to forget that there
might be sad days in store for him, he
was so very happy They fastened up the
roses and twined the vines that the wind had
thrown down, again around the arbor.
At last Mays papa told the boy one morn
ing that he had found good place for him
in the city so they parted, with promises to
remember each other forever.
We heard from him frequently, and Mays
papa brought him home with him to spend
Christmas And again they met in the city
one day, when May accompanied her father
BY and by the gentleman he lived with
moved to Philadelphia, and then we ceased
to hear from him
Years rolled on, and he was forgotten,
save in some backward glance to the year Of
Mays sickness. She was beautiful girl
now and loved by hosts Of friends. At last,
amid half-sad, haf-joyfll preparation she
contemplated leaving the old home and friends
for the protection of one every way worthy
Of her affection. The morning came, and
she was receiving many little tokens Of af-
iection aud pretty bridal gifts, when pom
derous package bearing foreign postmark,
was brought in. Full Of eager wonder, we
undid it, and disclosed beautiful painting
and attached to it the name Of an artist in
Rome whose fame had spread throughout all
Europe aud the United States We looked
at the painting garden Of flowers, little
girl in their midst, low fence, and over it
leaned poor haggard child. We scarcely
oomprehended it, but May sprang forward
with a low cry and bent over it, 1t was a
masterpiece We almost breathed the per-
iume of the roses, and the little girl was the
exact counterpart of May as she had played
among the flowers that happy summer. She
took the card. and turning it over, read !:
"Little May: | have never forgotten or lost
trace of you. Your words of sympathy
your kind deed in the past--proved the turn
ing point in my life, which led me on to fame
and happiness May your welded life be
fair as the roses you gave the heart-broken
orphan long ago, God bless youm And
then she read the name we had known him
by in those brief days of his stay with us.
How happy May was. An added blessing
seemed to rest upon her through the day.
How joyously she told him who was in few
hours to be her husband the little history
connected with the beautiful painting.
As look up from my writing, | see the
painting through the open door into the par
lor, and Mays children come romping into
the room.
Little bright faces cluster around my
knees and what have said to them many
times, ! now write to you, dear children.
The sunshine seems to gid only the external
things of this world, and make them bright
and pleasant but its warm rays reach far
down in the dark earth, and give life and
strength to the germs of flowers and they in
turn become beautiful Kinds words make
one appear bright and attractive they also,
like the sunshine, may sink down into some
dark, sad heart and nourish to life dormant
principles and germs of action that may re-
suit in noble life. They may, at least,
bring comfort to somo lonely one. Gentle
words are easv words -ArfhuYs MAGAZINE.