Year: 1864

Some time ago, | was riding in an omni-
bus with some half dozen well dressed ladies
and white kidded gentlemen At signal
from somebody on the sidewalk, the driver
reined up his horses, and a very old man,
with tremulous limbs and silvery locks pre-
sented himself at the door for admission
The driver shouted through the skylght,
Room for one more, there, inside ) but the
gentlemen looked at the old man and frowned
and the ladies spread out their rufled skirts,
for his hat was shabby, and his coat thread
bare. He saw how it was, and why there
was mo room, and meekly turned about to
go down the steps, when fine looking
young man, who sat next to me, sprang to
the door, and seizing him by the arm, said :
Take my place, sir you are quite welcome
to it. | am young aud hearty; it won't
weary me to walk, and kindly leading the
old man to the vacant seat, he leaped from
the steps and walked briskly down the street.
while [ looked admiringly after him, saying
to myself, that young man has good
mother


We drove on, and the more | looked at
the old mans silver hairs, and fine, honest
face, the more indignant felt at the way
he had been treated Whether he read my
thoughts in my countenance or not | cannot
say; but after most of the passengers had
got out, be moved up to me and said Good
boy, good boy, wasn't he ? My dear, (and
here his voice sunk to confidential whs-
per- l have got money enough to buy out
all the upstart people that filled this omni-
bus, twenty times over, but l like this old
hat and coat. They are as good as a cruci-
BILE; they help me to find out the true metal
Good morning, my dear Thank you for
your pity just as much as though | needed
it and the old man pulled the strap, got out
Of the omnibus, and hobbled off down the
street.


Some time after l advertised for lodgings,
and was answered by widow lady. liked
the air Of the house. it was so neat and quiet;
and the towering pots in the window were
a letter Of recommendation to me. Your
cold hearted, icce people never care for
flowers. But what particularly pleased me
at Mrs Harris was the devotion of her son
to his mother l expected no less, for the
moment he opened the door, | saw he was
the same young man who gave up his seat
in the omnibus to the old gentleman.


John did all the marketing and providing,
as wisely and as well as if he we're seventy,
instead of seventeen. He wheeled his
mothers arm chair to the pleasantest cor
ner; handed her the footstool and newspaper,
and spectacles offered her his arm up stairs
and down, and spent his evenings by her
side, instead of joining other young men in
racing over the city to find ways to kill
time


1t was beautiful sight in those days,
when beardess boys came whstling and
stamping into their mothers presence, with
their hats on, and calling her the old wo-
man.


l spent pleasant autumn under Mrs.
Harris quiet roof And now winter had set
in, with its nice long evenings John came
in to tea, one night, with his bright face
oyerclouded His mother was at his side in
an instant. Johns master had failed, aud
John was thrown out of employment.


Then [ learned that it was only by the
strictest economy, and boarding of every
cent of Johns small salary, that the rent
was paid and the table provided.


And now, so the widow said, the house
must be given up, for John might be long
while getting another place; clerk-ships
were so difficult to obtain; and they must
not think of running in debt.


1t was such pity. We were all so com
Portable and happy there, in that cosy little
parlOr, with its sunny bow window full of