Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-08-09
CHILDREN'S COLUMN.
The P1 ize and the Gift
An Incident of the Last Century.
BY f. C. RODNEY.

An incident of the Last Century.
| BY f. C. RODNEY.
| yHsSA H! grandma, grandma. 1 never
| \ sMH snail have money enough to
SsS "a Bible, honey. Is that
what you're saving your pennies fore
why haven't we got one?"
les; but almost half of it's gone.
1tiefe,s only few leaves of the New
testament left. Often, when our good
ln,hisIer reads us pretty story and
Ieis US Where to find it i'll the Bible, |
but its always sure to have been torn
away. BESIDES, ! want one of nv own"
II wish 1 could get one, Eddie, but I
cannot; for all the money | can spare
VIII have to go to buy clothes to keep
you warm during the cold winter.
one." INV '-N
''Why, Bible don't cost so mucbl,
near some bright little one saw: ssyou
can buy New Testament for only ten
cents" But Eddie lived nearly eighty
years ago, and Bibles were not so cheap
then as they are now-a-days.
Come, dearie," said his grandmotbar
''lf you want to be up betimes and early
at school you had better be off to bed.
Eddie sighed, and, putting his little
treasure away, kissed his grandmother
goodnight and went to bed. '3s
Inc next day, just as school was
breaking up, the teacher arose and, TAX
ing box from the desk, said. "Now.
boys, ON the tenth of next month. / am
gong to give to the best child in school
what IS in this box. See, now-don,t
you think it worth trying for.o And,
hitting the lid, he held up to view a pret.
ttiiy-bound copy of the Bible. The
/ children gave a shout of delight, and
many one said he would try hard to
gain possession of the prlze. and among
them all none made a firmer resolution
than our little Eddie.
"oh, grandma!" cried he, us he
rushea into her 1oom after school.
l teacher is going to give me Just what i
wanted-that is, he's going to give, as a
prize, such pretty Bible with a red
cover, and I'in sure I'll be the best bov,
ANYWAY, I'm going to try.'' -
And he did try just as hard as ever he
conld. and not a doubt crossed his mind
apoit his success. He was so sure of it
tnat ne even let his grandmother take
an ms pennies and buy nice blue
u >'P AOA IliIl " wear on a OfdGu
nollday which the whole school was to
have before long, when their teacher
had promised to take them to the next
town to see General Washington. who
was gong to pass through it on his way
to Virginia.
Haif-past ten o'clock on the tenth of
the next month found the children. all
dressed in their Sunday best, assembled
IN the schoolroom. Eddie's face flushed
with excitement and his eyes seldom
wondered from the green box contain
ling the coveted prize. There were
hymns sung and verses repeated, and
then the teacher arose and said: 81 am
going to give this prize to the best boy
In school. The one L consider the mos
worthy of it is named-TEddie's ewes
danced and he involuntarily put out his
. handl-is named Charley Martini
IL was great disappointment to Ed
! die. He managed ito keep up till ht
reached home, and then he sat down
, and cried until his grandmother though
he would make himself sick. Just il
the midst of it all who should ride up t,
the door but two tine-looking gentle
men Oh horseback, who wanted to know
the way to the next town and VIII,
asked for something to eat, as they were
livery hungry.
| AeA PiSttStIC. SdlU dIlt
she ushered them into her humbl,
Kitchen and fastened to set before then
| the best in the cottage.
Eddie sat IN the corner of the room
! and for awhile forgot his great troubl
s In Watching the fine gentlemen. Blu
2 presently he caught sight of his new
+ blue cap, and he thought of the none,
i he had spent for it and how long he ha,
l been earning it; and now he would hav
v to begin all over again to work for hi
It Bible-not that he minded the work, bu
S it seemed snch long time to wait, AM
- he had been so confident of having it OIL
that very day; and, thinking it all over
e he commenced before he knew it, to CT
Y again.
e "Heigho!" exclaimed the younge
d gentleman, turning hastily round
: swhat's the matters You look as
r you had been crying for the last week.
Q "Come here and tell me what it is al
i about" said his companion. But Eddi
e only shrank further into the corner, and
I getting no answee to his question, tn
gentleman turned and asked his grand
{, mother.
n So the old lady told the whole story
q But" she added, "I tell him not t
7 take II so much to heart; he shall have
q Bible one of these fine days, and II
| S'iS tS iiao gu IlICc zap Nv
= you know, Eddie, that without it yo
would be unable to go and see the goo
e Washington
n ''But I'd rather have the Bible tha
e see the General" declared Eddie frol
d his corner.
IS The gentleman smiled and said |
hoped that he would always be aS fon
Ut of his Bible, and, after talking son
IS time longer, they mounted their hors,
II and rode away.
re Several days afterwards, as Eddie al
y his grandmother were taking their evel
s. ing meal. the postmaster stopped
r. the door.
g "a letter." said grandma; "why, wi
he can be writing to meg"
it But she was in the wrong; for, II
re stead of letter, the postman hand,
N her square parcel with Eddie's nan
a upon it.
ly "Dear me, what can it be?" All
lg grandma FASTENED to put ON her glasst
We while Eddie undid, with trembli,
,y hands, the red seals which fastened Il
p parcel. a cry of joy escaped his Ii
IN when it was at last opened and he 81
d. what II contained. And what do y,
think it was? A Bible. Yes. n beau
ful Bible. with Eddie's name on t
back in gold letters. But Just que
their surprise when they opened t
is book and read on the front ieaf-s'F
te- Eddie Carter, from George Washin
W ton." hardly believe there was ha
nd pier boy in all America than Eddie W
,s- that night.
of Eddie grew up to be fine man a
ge you may be sure he always took or,
tie care of his first Bible, aud only t
le- other day, when went to see one of
he grandsons, he showed me the book, II,
lg, old and worn, but with thewriting S,
er plain on the front leaf and he cons