Year: 1872

Il HIS morning poor Han came 10 our
house to sell my father COW. He had
walked five miles through the snow, and
looked very tired. He was sorry to part
with his COW, but said they had all been
sick this fall, and he was obliged to do so
in order TO get food for the children
through the winter He looked far from
strong, and pitied him. But my mother
did more than that. She caue into the
kitchen where l was pairing potatoes, for
our dinner, and said:


"Just wash your hands, Edith, and get
out the little waiter; put plate of biscuit
on it, while heat up this coffee; now
you may put on q little plate of butter, a
piece of mince-pie and some doughnuts.
l will cut off some beef from the outside
of this roast, as it is nice and brown.
Now all is ready but the coffee, and that
will boil in a minute or two over this hot
coal fire. Take it now, and put it on the
little stand before Mr.. Weaver. 1 know
it will do him good; dare say they live
poorly this hard winter"


/ felt sorry for the man, but it took my
good mother to do all this for his COM
fort. She always offers refreshment to
persons stopping here whom she thinks
would be the better for it. never knew
my mothers cupboard so empty that



needy. I don't believe there is a poor
child in the town who has not had cause
to remember it one time or another.
They like to come to our house on errands.


1t did my heart good to see the pleased
look on the poor mans face. The surprise
was so great he hardly knew what to say
at first. But / did not wait long in the
room after placing it before him, as
thought he could eat more comfortably if
Left to himself He looked over the wait
er with real famine-like eagerness, much
as he tried to restrain himself.


"Give him good price for his cow,
father" whispered, as pulled his sleeve
when he was passing through into the
dining-room.


"How much are you willing to deny
yourself for the sake of his poor family,
pussy?" he asked, pinching my cheek
softly.


"About five dollars, / think, father"


Cali right, then," he said, giving me
one of his quiet laughs in the corner of
his gray eyes.


NY father does Eot beat a poor man
down in his prices. | believe he does
business Just as he thinks the Lord would
approve if he were standing by. If there
is one lesson of my childhood which /
shall never forget, it is this-of being kind
to the poor. He made his bargain with
the man, and when he counted out the
bills he laid five-dollar note on the top,
and said:


There is a Christmas gift for your lit
tie ones"


The poor man burst into tears. After
a while he said:


"Mr. Gray, always heard you were a
good man to the poor, but Inever expect
ed such treatment as l have had here to-
day. May the Lord reward you hun
dred fold If you will let me, miss, I'll
take these doughnuts you have set for me
home to my little Jane. wouldn't be so
bold, but she has been poorly ever since
she got over the sickness, and yesterday
she was crying for one of these very fried
cakes"


"Take them and welcome" l said
"and will send her a paper of them be
side"


1t did not take my mother long to fill
up the large basket she had with good
things for that poor family, not forgetting
some especial dainties in one corner fol
the sick child.


1--WE can do without doughnuts til
next baking day." she said, as she emptieC
tfe whole painful into the basket.
know that poor family will have ont
good meal this winter, and would ea
potatoes and salt for dinner for weei
for the sake of the pleasure it gives m,
| every time think of it. Father hailed {
team which was passing and got the mar
a ride almost to his home. He wen
away with very different look from tina
which ne wore when he came in.


When l have a home of my own,
mean to use hospitality just as my moth
er does. / wish there were more house
keepers "given" to it as she is. / an
sure that poor family will not soon forge
her; and / think, after all, we have tn,
most unmixed happiness about it.-Edit
Gray.