Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-12-31

don't know aIl-you cannot know
ALL"
But 1 will replied the manly
boy. '.Where do you liveg'
"Will you go with mef" asked El-
sic, her face Frightening.
"Yes; let me go with you," said
he: "show Inc the way"
Through street, lane and alley. she
guided him. They reached the door
of her hoyel. The cold breaths of
the wind whistled in at the cracks
and crevices and key hole before
them, as if inviting them in. They
entered. A sick woman feebly raised
her head from the pillow, and gave
her sweet smile. ''Elsie, have you
Gomez she family said.
"Yes, mother" answered the
child: ''and | have brought this boy
with me. l do not know who he is,
but he said he wanted to come and
see where we lived. Did do wrong
to bring him mother"
mo, my child, said the mother, eff
he knows how to pity you from his
little heart; but he cannot pity me
yet-he is not old enough"
The bright faced, sunny hearted
boy gazed with astonishment upon
the mother and child. He wondered
if this was what they called poverty.
His eyes looked sadly upon the
wasting mother, but they glittered
with wonder when turned toward FL
sic. Suddenly they filed with tears.
The want, the woe, the barrenness,
the desolation, were all too much for
him. He shuddered at the cold, un-
covered floor. He gazed mournfully
into the empty fireplace. His eyes
wandered wonderingly over the ma
ked walls. looking so uninvitingly
and cheerless. Putting his hand into
his pocket, he grasped the coin his
mother had that very morning given
him, and drew it forth. You may
have that" said he holding it out to
the child.
"Oh, you are too good! You are
too generous, l fearr' broke in the
mother, as if she ought not to take it
from him.
"Mother will give me another if /
want" said he; sit will do you a
great deal of good, and | don't need
it. Take it, take it! you SHAH take
itr' and he was instantly gone.
1t was gold com of the value of
five dollars.
The mother and child wept to-
getheb Then they talked of the
good boy whose heart had been
opened for them on this new years
day. Then they let their fancies run
and grow wild and revel as they
choose. They looked at the glisten-
ing piece. There was bread and
fuel and clothing and every other
comfort, in it. Now they saw within
its rim pictures of delight and joy;
visions of long rooms. all wreathed
and decorated with evergreen and
flowers; visions of smiling faces and
happy children; sights of merry
sleigh rides; and the glistening of
bright runners over the smooth
worn snow. They listened; they
heard the mingled sounds of merry
voices and the Ginning music bells,
the accent of innocent tongues, and
the laugh of gladstone hearts. All.
what philosophers stone was that
coin: How it turned everything first
into gold, and then into happiness!
How it grouped around them kind
and cheerful friends, and filled their
ears with kind voices! How it gar
landed all hours of that day with
evergreen and full blown roses! How
it spread them laden table, and
crowded it with merry guests. and
those guests, too, all satisfied and
happy o, what bright rays shOne
forth from that trifing coin of gold
Could it have been as bright in the
child's or the mans dark pocket?
No; else it had before then burned
its very way through, and let its ra-
diance to others. Could it have
shone with such radiance in the rich
mans hands? No; else his ayarice
would nave vanished at once. and
heart have overfown with generosity?
No, no; it was only to such as the
widow and her child that it wore
such a shine, and emitted such bril-
liant rays, and revealed such sweet
and welcomed visions! Only for
such as they.
That night returned this angel
boy to the bleak room then filled with
happiness and lighted with joy; but
he was not alone; his own mother
was with him. Blessed boy! He
passed the whole New Years day in
making others happy. And how
much happier was he himself! How
his little heart warmed and glowed
to see the child uncover the basket
be had brought with him, and take
out, one by one, the gifts that were
slowed therei And how overjoyed
was he to see his mother offer the
sick woman work and a new home,
and to see the sick woman grow sud
denly strong, and almost well under
the influence of their kind offers!
He wondered if their happiness could
possibly be as deep as his own; if
their New Years was as bright to
them as his was to him. He knew
not how any one could be happier
than he was at that moment.
Years have rolled away into the 81
lent past. That little girl-Elsie
Gray-is lady. Not lady only in
name, but one in every deed, in heart,
in conduct. She dwells in a sweet
suburban cottage, and her husband
is devoted only to her. The husband
is no other than the generous boy
whoon the New Years festival accos
ted her so tenderly in the street, and
went home with her. Her poor mo-
ther sleeps quietly in the church
ward: vet she lived to know that God