The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-12-25

Gay, anu into tne coming nlgnt, Will an
escort too royal for any earthly king.
. At last the dusk began to fall. Heart
Of Gold paused on the brow of snow COW
cred hill, and looked back to the twinkling
lights of the city they had left behind
Her slender, childish shape stood out
gra G and clear in its sordid raiment against
the ashen, wintry twilight.
A star shone high above her in the sky.
At her feet the throng of poor and MANNED
and blind surged wonder-stricken, and
lifted trembling hands in words of broken
praise and dread.
Hearing which Heart of Gold shook her
tlaxen head.
"Do not thank me, friends" she said.
"The good God sent me to you all"
And the furthest man in the crowd heard
the words as clearly as those who were
near enough to kiss the hem of her humble
garments.
When Heart-of- Gold drew near home
again at daybreak and saw the light glim-
mering on the window and the familiar
poplars waving above the roof, a pang of
remorse shot through her tender heart.
81 have done wrong" she thought hum
bly,. Il have gone abroad in search of
misery to relieve, and forgotten those who
sheltered me-"
Her little mind could find no room for
thoughts of justice it was so full of charity
and of compassion for all sin and suffering
and sorrow. Even when she thought Of
the poor lost souls in the other world she
could not help plying them, wicked as
they had been, and now all recollection of
the oaths and blows she had endured from
Uric and Clrica was lost in her yearning
desire to help them as she had helped SO
many needy creatures, without questioning
their deserts.
So, to repair her forgetfulness of day,
Heart Of Gold set off at once with her
friendly sack, and bought piece of ground
that was for sale near Ulrcs cabin
Then she bought pair of oxen-red
and white with glossy silken hides-and a
plough, and hired laborer to take them
to the field.
Meanwhile she herself was laying in all
manner of provisions-hour and oil and
wine-which she piled in a great wagon
that followed her from street to street.
And it was wonderful to see how sensibly
she spent the money. Not buying foolish
things as might have been expected from a
little thing of her years, but good sub
stantial furniture, pieces of linen, copper
kettles, and stew-pans, and everything
that the thrftiest grown-up housewife
could possibly desire.
Uric and Ulrica were still snoring when
the wagon drove up to the door. Even the
roll of the wheels and the crack of the
whip did not rouse them, and Heart Of
Gold laughed little mischevously as she
thought of the trick she was playing on
them.
She gave one last, pleased look at the
purchases, and then knocking at the cabin
door cried, "Unce Uric, Aunt Ulrica.
Wake up and open the door. Good Luck
is waiting to come in"'
Hearing her voice. Uric and Ulrica
jumped out of bed, half-asleep and rub
bling their eyes, and they seized their
clothes so hastily that Uric put on the
gown and Ulrica the breeches.
Then they flung open the door and there
stood Heart-of Gold and the plough and
the wagon full of good things i'll the snowy
road.
Now they had meant to give Heart Of
Gold beating on her return for having
stayed away an entire day without leave;
but when they saw her there's smiling sfyly
others clothes-and heard her giving the
men orders about carrying the things into
the house, the angry words died on their
lips and they stood dumbfounded, not
knowing whether to believe their own eyes.
Then Heart-of- Gold, plying their con-
fusion, lighted up her face timidly and
asked them to kiss her: and somehow, at
the touch of her childish lips, their hearts
evil of their old ways, and they embraced
the child tenderly between laughing and
crying.
A year later, Uric was the richest farmer
in the country. The fields yielded him
bread and wine and oil and fruit in abund-
ance, and the focks furnished wool for
clothing as well as meat for sustenance.
The poor for miles around had their
share in all these good things, for Heart
of-Gold no longer gave aims in money,
fearing to throw temptation in the peoples
way, but distributed instead meal and
bread and linen to those who were in need.
SO that after awhile it came to pass that
her big pennies remained useless on her
hands.
There were still two or three heaps of
them in the garnet, and Heart Of Gold
fretted to see them taking up the place of
twenty or thirty bundles of hay.
She preferred the hay, which was the
reward of honest industry, to the money
that she heaped up without any merit or
toll of her own.
Therefore the gift of the beggar woman
weighed upon her heart.
She had hung it round her neck with a
piece of ribbon, fearing to throw it away,
lest it should fall into bad hands, and
knowing well that such coin had power
to make the happiness or misery of the
people, according to the way in which it
was employed.
But the penny hurt her, as it hung inside
her bodice.
She would have given all the world to
meet the beggar woman again and restore
the trust to her, SO that she might be free
ever after to live like other girls and to
perform no miracles at all except those of
hard work and cheerful good humor.
But having sought for her everywhere
in vain she gave up the search at last.
One evening Heart-of, Gold was passing
the church near which the toy shop still
displayed its glittering wares and she went