The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-01-23
THE KNIFE GRINDER OF NArLl

srning his wheel in a street in Naples
young painter came mp to him and
HDo you manage to get enough work to
kpep you, my good frieno' ana are you
liver in want 2"
HNo, thank God I" replied the knife
srinder. 81 get plenty Of work, and live
Ia as much comfort as q man in my station
iced wish for"
q The poor painters eyes became full of
lars, and he said sadly:
" All, how I wish were as we'll off as
;su arew
Are you in want then, my friend 7" re-
fned the old man.
|" Indeed I ann" said the artist. sc Some
FEARS ago left my native country to visit
italy and learn painting here I soon be-
Hnrne able to support myself by my pic
res, and managed to make a comfortable
wing but about ten months ago l became
- i'll that could not for long time earn
u penny, and all the money / had by me
eas soon spent. Three days ago the peo-
Gle of the inn where was staying turned
tae out of their house because could no
niger pay them anything, andI have not
farthing to buy either food or medicine
ith, though I am starving with hunger,
nd still feel very ILL.,"
The knife grinder made the poor paint
n accompany him to the garnet where heA
1ndged, up five pair of stairs in q poor
Hense, and there he nursed aud tended him
z31r more than a month, until he was quite
Stropg again. During the time he was the
old mans visitor, be received supply of
&Spney from his own home. He offered
larger portion to the knife grinder, as
syment for his care and the expense be
Sad put him to. but the old man refused to
~ touch penny, and said:
81 /" You have put it in my power to pay
Il an old debt. Five years ago was in
|$reat distress and want in Rome. A gen.
&FNr1 ar tor mn ciNr,n nt,N
helped me out of the difficulties I was then
IN. l wanted to pay him before 1 left
Rome, bat his reply was: "1f ever you
Ind any one in similar trouble, do the same
% them as have done to YOU" have
tound in you, my friend, the sufferer to
Lord directs any fellow creature in distress
foyour door, 1 give you leave to pay me
through him."
u Is not this the way in which God asks
'payment of US for all the blessings He is
pever weary of giving us7 He has every
ching; we cannot make Him richer but
The one return we can make Him is to love
Him, and to help those who are in trouble.
FUSS AND HER VISITOR.
"Tell me story, please dear mama ;
I'D like 30 much to hear one. Tell me
about cats or dogs, or some animal"
"When was a little girl had pretty
white and black pussy. She played with
ball, she jumped over my hands, and fol-
lowed me everywhere aud was my darling
mischievous. Aunty took great pride in
her white, soft bed. Puss, too, took a
fancy to it, and thought it was just the
thing for her SO she quietly got on the
bed, and worked herself in between the
mattresses, and there went to sleep.
sAunty not knowing she had a bed-fellow,
went to bed. She soon felt something stir.
What could it be7 She turned over aud
then che heard puss new new!
"Where is that cat 2" she exclaimed.
She looked and looked, but could not find
her. Again something stirred, and then
aunty got up, pulled the bed to pieces, and
there was Miss Puss, looking demure, aud
quite pleased with her warm quarters. But
she was turned out, and sent flying down
stairs.
''The next day she was in mischief again.
Peter brought in some crabs for dinner,
ind, with her usual curiosity, puss peeped
shout the kitchen, and soon saw one of the
'crabs crawling about the floor. Puss
Btarted, and looked and thinking it was
omething she must dispose of, went near
70 it, The crab moved on puss hit it
With her paw the crab closed its claws
pussy's tail went up in the air, and she
made another attempt to catch her strange
visitor. This time the crab, feeling some
thing touch him, was too quick for her
ne caught her paw in his claw, and there
she was in trap!
''What mewing there was then She
1fied to get free, but the crab held her fast
she more she pulled, the tighter grew the
clasp of the crab. Puss ran about the
Kitchen with the crab hanging to her paw.
My dear pet how sorry 1 felt for her, and
how vexed was with Peter for laughing.
But when he saw my distress he went to
pussy's relief, and after some trouble, sue
ceeded in getting the crab off. Pussy was
very quiet that day, and had as much as
Bhe could do to nurse her wounded paw.
"Whenever che saw a crab after that her
tail went up, her hair stood on an end, and
she began to epit and glare, and was no
longer any meek and gentle pet. noticed
that she took care not to NEEDLE with
strange. looking visitors again, and soon
settled down into an active old mouser."-
Catholic Telegraph.