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diff --git a/11333-0.txt b/11333-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8df516d --- /dev/null +++ b/11333-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1546 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11333 *** + +MRS. COLMAN'S + +NEW JUVENILE SERIES + + + I. THE TALISMAN OF THE GOOD GENIUS, &c. + + II. STORIES OF AFFECTION. + + III. THE PEARL STORY BOOK. + + IV. THE PET BUTTERFLIES; THE LITTLE SEEKERS FOR HAPPINESS, &c. &c. + + V. NEW AND TRUE STORIES. + + VI. HOLIDAY STORIES. + + + + + THE PEARL STORY BOOK: + + A COLLECTION OF TALES, + + ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. + + + BY MRS. COLMAN, + AUTHOR OF INNOCENCE OF CHILDHOOD, ETC. ETC. + + + + 1850. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + +~THE TURTLE-DOVES OF CARMEL.~ + +CHAPTER FIRST. + +About a young English musician, and how he came to spend the winter at +Mount Carmel + +CHAPTER SECOND. + +About the kind old monk and the musician, and about the turtle-doves who +made their nest near his window + + +THE DYING CHILD + +FRIGHTENED BY A COW + + +~THE RED SHOES.~ + +CHAPTER FIRST. + +How little Karen was adopted by a lady, and how she came by her red +shoes + +CHAPTER SECOND. + +Karen grows vain of her red shoes, and is forced to dance over the +fields, across the bridges, and everywhere + +CHAPTER THIRD. + +How Karen tried to go to church again, how she prayed and was sorry, and +how an angel came to comfort her, and how happy she became + + +NAUGHTY MARIAN + +MORNING HOUR + +THE CHIMNEY-SWEEP + +PLEASANT AMUSEMENTS + +THE CAGED BIRD + + +~THE YOUNG GLEANER.~ + +CHAPTER FIRST. + +How Willy meets the young gleaner in the field--how he pities his +misfortunes, and assists to fill his bag with corn + +CHAPTER SECOND. + +How the young gleaner was much frightened, and how happy he was +made--and how delighted Willy was in doing kind things to the poor + + +PERSEVERANCE + + +~TONY THE MILLER'S SON.~ + +CHAPTER FIRST. + +About a mill, and the old miller who became tired and sold it to Tony's +father, and of the advice given to the new occupant + +CHAPTER SECOND. + +How the miller behaved to his kind neighbors, and about the rushing +torrent which came very near destroying the old mill + + + + +PREFACE. + + * * * * * + +One evening--it was winter, and the hills and fields were covered with +snow, but the moon shone bright on the frosty windows, and the fire was +burning cheerfully in the grate; it was such an evening when one likes +to enjoy the pleasures of a song or story. You may imagine yourselves on +such an evening seated around the table, something like the knights of +old, whose pleasure it was to relate their wonderful deeds of arms, when +they returned from the "_Holy Land_," or from some noble deed of +knightly prowess; but the stories you shall hear are very different from +those, as the picture you see before you indicates. They are chiefly +stories for children, and are such as relate more particularly to the +affections of the heart. They may be "_Fairy Tales_," or they may be +household narratives of facts, such as occur in the every-day life of a +child. If the moral be good and pure, and the mind interested and made +better, the end is accomplished. + + + + +THE TURTLE-DOVES OF CARMEL. + + +BY MARY HOWITT. + + * * * * * + +CHAPTER FIRST. + + +ABOUT A YOUNG ENGLISH MUSICIAN, AND HOW HE CAME TO SPEND THE WINTER AT +MOUNT CARMEL. + +A great many turtle-doves lived about Mount Carmel, and there were +orange-trees and cypresses there, and among these the doves lived all +the winter. They had broods early in the year, and towards the end of +March, or the beginning of April, they set off like great gentlefolks, +to spend "the season" near London. All last winter a young English +musician, who was very pale and thin, lived with the monks in the +monastery on Mount Carmel. He went to Syria because when a child he had +loved so to hear his mother read in the Bible about Elijah and Elisha on +Mount Carmel. And he used to think then that if ever he was rich, he +would go and see all the wonderful places mentioned in the Bible. + +But he never was rich, and yet he came here. He was very pale, and had +large and beautiful but sorrowful eyes. He took a violin with him to +Mount Carmel; it was the greatest treasure he had on earth, and he +played the most wonderful things on this violin that ever were heard, +and everybody who heard it said that he was a great musician. In the +winters he suffered very much from the cold and the fogs of England; +so, last summer he saved a little money, and set off with his violin for +Syria, and all last winter he lived in the monastery of Mount Carmel, +among the grave old monks. + +There was one little old monk, a very old man, who soon grew very fond +of him; he too had been a musician, but he was now almost childish, and +had forgotten how to play; and the brother monks had taken from him his +old violin, because they said he made such a noise with it. He cried to +part with it, like a child, poor old man! + +The young musician had a little chamber in the monastery, which +overlooked the sea; nobody can think what a beautiful view it had. The +sun shone in so warm and pleasant, and a little group of cypresses grew +just below the window. + +[Illustration] + +The young man often and often stood at the window, and looked out upon +the sea, and down into the cypress-trees, among the thick branches of +which he heard the doves cooing. He loved to hear them coo, and so did +the little old monk. One day early in January he saw that the +turtle-doves had built a nest just in sight; he watched the birds taking +it by turns to sit on the eggs, and his heart was full of love to them; +they turned up their gentle eyes to him, but they never flew away, for +they saw in his mild and sorrowful countenance, that he would not hurt +them. + +Beautiful and melancholy music sounded for half of the day down from his +window to where the birds sat; it had a strange charm for the doves, +they thought it was some new kind of nightingale come down from heaven. +The little old monk sat in his Carmelite frock, with his hands laid +together on his knees and his head down on his breast, and listened with +his whole soul; to him too it came as a voice from heaven, and seemed to +call him away to a better land; great tears often fell from his eyes, +but they were not sorrowful tears, they were tears of love, tears which +were called forth by a feeling of some great happiness which was coming +for him, but which he could not rightly understand. He was, as you know, +a very old man, the oldest in all the monastery. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER SECOND. + + +ABOUT THE KIND OLD MONK AND THE MUSICIAN, AND ABOUT THE TURTLE-DOVES WHO +MADE THEIR NEST NEAR HIS WINDOW. + +Heavenly music from the young man's room was heard every day;--finer and +finer it sounded. As early spring came on, he grew very poorly; the +little old monk used to bring him his meals into his chamber, because it +tired him to go up and down the long stone staircase to the great +eating-room. There never was anybody so kind as the little old monk. + +A pair of young doves were hatched in the nest, and when the sun shone +in at the window, the young man used to sit in his dressing-gown, with a +pillow in his chair, and look down into the cypress-tree where the +turtle-doves' nest was; he would sit for hours and look at them, and +many beautiful thoughts passed through his mind as he did so. Never had +his heart been so full of love as now. The little old monk used to sit +on a low seat before him, waiting for the time when he asked for his +violin, which was a great happiness for them both. The musician loved +the old monk very much, and often, when he played, he desired to pour +bright and comfortable thoughts into his innocent soul. + +It was the end of March; the turtle-doves were all preparing for their +flight to England; the pair that had built their nest under the +musician's window had a home in some quiet woods in Surrey, where it +was delightfully mild and pleasant even in winter, but they never were +there in winter, although the wood had the name of Winterdown. It was a +lovely wood: broad-leaved arums and primroses, and violets blue and +white, covered the ground in spring, and in summer there were hundreds +and hundreds of glow-worms, and the old tree-trunks were wreathed with +ivy and honeysuckle. It was a very pleasant place, and near to it a +poet's children were born; they had wandered in its wilds, had gathered +its flowers, and admired its glow-worms, and listened to the +turtle-doves, when they were very young; now, however, their home was +near London; they only went to Winterdown about once a year for a great +holiday. The old turtle-doves talked about the poet's children in +Winterdown, and the young doves fancied that they lived there always. + +[Illustration: THE POET'S CHILDREN.] + +It was now the time for them to set off on their long journey; the old +doves had exercised their young ones, and they were sure that they could +perform the journey. Next morning early they were to set off. + +All night there was a light burning in the young musician's chamber, +and towards morning the most heavenly music sounded from the window, +which the old monk had opened a little, a very little, for fresh air, +because his young friend had complained of the room being close and hot. +The sound awoke the doves; and they listened to what they still thought +a glorious bird. The little old man sat with his feeble hands together, +and his head raised; it was the first time for years that he had ever +sat _so_; the young man played, and there was a heavenly joy in his +soul; he knew not whether he was in heaven or earth; all his pain was +gone. It was a blissful moment; the next, and all was still in the +chamber--wonderfully still. The lamp continued burning, a soft breeze +blew in from the half-opened window, and just stirred the little old +man's Carmelite frock, and lifted the young man's dark locks, but they +neither of them moved. + +"That glorious bird has done his singing for this morning," said the old +doves; "he will now sleep--let us set off; all our friends and neighbors +are off already; we have a long journey before us." The parent doves +spread their wings; they and their elder ones were away, but the younger +stayed as if entranced in the nest; he could think of nothing but the +glorious bird that had just been singing: his family wheeled round the +cypress, and then returned for him; they bade him come, for it was late. +The sun was rising above the sea, and all the doves of Carmel were ready +for flight. The younger dove then spread its wings also for this long +journey, bearing with him still the remembrance of that thrilling music +which affected him so greatly. + +The turtle-doves went forth on their long journey. The young musician +and the little old monk had started before them on one much longer. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE DYING CHILD + + +BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. + + Mother, I'm tired, and I would fain be sleeping; + Let me repose upon thy bosom sick; + But promise me that thou wilt leave off weeping, + Because thy tears fall hot upon my cheek. + + Here it is cold: the tempest raveth madly; + But in my dreams all is so wondrous bright; + I see the angel-children smiling gladly, + When from my weary eyes I shut out light. + + Mother, one stands beside me now! and, listen! + Dost thou not hear the music's sweet accord? + See how his white wings beautifully glisten? + Surely those wings were given him by the Lord! + + Green, gold, and red, are floating all around me; + They are the flowers the angel scattereth. + Should I have also wings while life has bound me? + Or, mother, are they given alone in death? + + Why dost thou clasp me as if I were going? + Why dost thou press thy cheek so unto mine? + Thy cheek is hot, and yet thy tears are flowing! + I will, dear mother, will be always thine! + + Do not sigh thus--it marreth my reposing; + But if thou weep, then I must weep with thee! + Ah, I am tired--my weary eyes are closing-- + Look, mother, look! the angel kisseth me! + +[Illustration] + + + + +FRIGHTENED BY A COW. + + I. + + One morning Miss Lucy, + As oft-times before, + Went out in the fields + With maid Ellenore: + + II. + + The sun shone so bright, + And the air was so still; + Not a breath could be raised + To turn the old mill. + + III. + + They walked through the fields + All sprinkled with dew, + Where the bright yellow flowers + Gave a charm to the view; + + IV. + + The birds sang so gayly + To bless the bright day, + And sweetly the baby + Talked and laughed by the way. + + V. + + Now Lucy knew well + There was naught to alarm-- + Old Brindle was gentle, + And would do her no harm. + + VI. + + But the cow raised her head + And looked round so bold, + That she started and shrieked, + And made Ellenore scold. + + VII. + + Then the man at the mill + Rushed out in a fright, + And seeing Miss Lucy + All trembling and white, + +[Illustration: FRIGHTENED BY A COW.] + + VIII. + + Said, "Have courage, young lady! + Pray cease your alarm; + Cows never will hurt you, + If you do them no harm." + + IX. + + Now the baby he prattled, + And begged for a ride; + He clapped his hands loudly, + And "Come, Mooly!" he cried; + + X. + + "Let me ride on your back + O'er the green fields so bright, + Where the busy bees hum-- + _Dear Mooly_, you _might_. + + XI. + + "We'll ride o'er the hills + Where the lofty pines grow, + And through the green lanes + Of hawthorn we'll go; + + XII. + + "We'll ride through the groves + Where the happy birds play, + And sing a glad song + Of praise by the way." + + + + +THE RED SHOES. + + +BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, TRANSLATED BY MARY HOWITT. + + * * * * * + +CHAPTER FIRST. + + +HOW LITTLE KAREN WAS ADOPTED BY A LADY, AND HOW SHE CAME BY HER RED +SHOES. + +There was once a little girl who was very pretty and delicate, but in +the summer she was obliged to run about with bare feet, she was so poor, +and in the winter to wear large wooden shoes, which made her little +instep quite red, and that looked so dangerous! + +In the middle of the village lived old mother Shoemaker, and she sat and +sewed together, as well as she could, a little pair of shoes out of red +cloth; they were very clumsy, but it was a kind thought,--they were +meant for the little girl. + +The little girl was called Karen. On the very day her mother was buried +Karen received the red shoes, and wore them for the first time. They +were certainly not intended for mourning, but she had no others, and +with stockingless feet she followed the poor straw coffin in them to the +grave. + +Suddenly an old carriage drove up, and a large old lady sat in it; she +looked at the little girl, felt compassion for her, and then said to the +clergyman-- + +"Here, give me that little girl, I will adopt her!" + +Karen believed all this happened on account of her red shoes, but the +old lady thought they were horrible, and so they were burnt; but Karen +was otherwise nicely clothed, and besides, had a pretty doll charmingly +dressed in green. + +[Illustration: KAREN WITH HER DOLL.] + +She must now learn to read and sew; and people said she was a nice +little girl; but the looking-glass said, "Thou art more than nice, thou +art beautiful!" + +Now the queen once travelled through the land, and she had a daughter +with her, and this little daughter was a princess; and people streamed +to the castle, and Karen was there also, and the little princess stood +in her fine white dress, in a window, and let herself be stared at: she +had neither a train nor a golden crown, but splendid red morocco shoes. +They were certainly far handsomer than those mother Shoemaker had made. + +Nothing in the world can compare with red shoes, thought Karen, and she +greatly desired them. + + * * * * * + +Now Karen was old enough to be _confirmed_ by the bishop, and that she +might be ready to go to the church, the old lady had new clothes made +for her, and took her to the rich shoemaker's in the city to select +some shoes. This took place in his store, where stood large glass cases, +filled with elegant shoes and brilliant boots. All this looked charming, +but the old lady could not see well, and so had no pleasure in looking +at them. In the midst of these shoes stood a pair of red ones just like +those the little princess had worn. How beautiful they were! The +shoemaker said also that they had been made for the child of a count, +but had not fitted. + +"That must be patent leather," said the old lady, "they shine so." + +"Yes, they shine," said Karen, "and I should be delighted to have them!" + +And they were tried on, and fitted her little foot so well that they +were bought; but the old lady knew nothing about their being red, else +she would never have allowed Karen to have gone in red shoes to be +confirmed. Yet such was the case. + +Everybody looked at her feet; and when she stepped through the +chancel-door on the church pavement, it seemed to her as if the old +figures on the tombs--those portraits of old preachers and preachers' +wives, with stiff ruffs and long black dresses, fixed their eyes on her +red shoes. And she thought only of them as the clergyman laid his hand +upon her head, and spoke of the holy baptism, of the covenant with God, +and how she should now become a true Christian; and the organ pealed so +solemnly, the sweet children's voices sang, and the old music-directors; +but Karen thought only of her red shoes. + +In the afternoon the old lady heard that the shoes had been red, and she +said that it was very wrong of Karen, that it was not at all becoming, +and that in future Karen should only go in black shoes to church, even +when she should be older. + +The next Sunday there was to be the sacrament, and Karen looked at the +black shoes, then looked at the red ones,--looked at them again, and put +on the red shoes. + +The sun shone gloriously; Karen and the old lady walked along the path +through the corn; it was rather dusty, and their shoes were covered. + +At the church-door stood an old soldier with a crutch, and with a +wonderful long beard which was more red than white, and he bowed to the +ground and asked the old lady if he might dust her shoes; and Karen +stretched out her little foot. + +"See! what beautiful dancing-shoes!" said the soldier; "sit firm--you +dance," and he put his hand out towards the soles. + +And the old lady gave the soldier an alms, and went into the church with +Karen. + +And all the people in the church looked at Karen's red shoes, and all +the pictures; and as Karen knelt before the altar and raised the cup to +her lips, she only thought of the red shoes, and they seemed to swim in +it; and she forgot to sing her psalm, and she forgot to pray, "Our +Father, who art in heaven!" + +Now all the people went out of the church, and the old lady got into the +carriage. Karen raised her foot to get in after her, when the old +soldier said-- + +"Look, what beautiful dancing-shoes!" + +And Karen could not help dancing a step or two, and when she began, her +feet continued to dance; it was just as if the shoes had power over +them. She danced round the church-corner, she could not leave off; the +coachman was obliged to run after and catch hold of her, and he lifted +her into the carriage, but her feet continued to dance, so that she trod +on the old lady dreadfully. At length she took off the shoes, and then +her legs had peace. + +The shoes were placed in a closet at home, but Karen could not help +looking at them. + + + + +CHAPTER SECOND. + + +KAREN GROWS VAIN OF HER RED SHOES, AND IS FORCED TO DANCE OVER THE +FIELDS, ACROSS THE BRIDGES, AND EVERY-WHERE. + +Now the old lady was sick, and it was said that she could not recover. +She must be nursed and waited upon, and there was no one whose duty it +was so much as Karen's. But there was to be a great ball, to which Karen +was invited. She looked at the old lady, who could not recover; she +looked at the red shoes, and she thought there could be no sin in it. +She put on the red shoes,--she thought she might do that also; and she +went to the ball and began to dance. + +[Illustration] + +When she went to dance to the right, the shoes would dance to the left; +and when she went to dance up the room, the shoes would dance back +again; and they danced down the steps, into the street, and from there +she danced, and danced straight out into the gloomy wood. + +Then it was light up among the trees, and she fancied it must be the +moon, for there was a face; but it was the old soldier with the red +beard; he sat there, nodded his head, and said, "Look! what beautiful +dancing-shoes!" + +Then she was terrified, and wanted to fling off the red shoes, but they +clung fast; and she pulled down her stockings, but the shoes seemed to +have grown to her feet; and she danced, and must dance, over fields and +over meadows, in rain and sunshine, by night and day; but at night it +was most fearful. + +She danced over the churchyard, but the dead did not dance; they had +something better to do than to dance. She wished to seat herself on a +poor man's grave, where the bitter tansy grew; but for her there was +neither peace nor rest; and when she danced towards the open +church-door, she saw an angel standing there. He wore long white +garments, he had wings which reached from his shoulders to the earth, +his countenance was severe and grave, and in his hand he held a sword, +broad and glittering. + +"Dance shalt thou!" said he, "dance in thy red shoes till thou art pale +and cold! Dance shalt thou from door to door; and where proud, vain +children dwell, thou shalt stand and knock, that they may hear thee and +tremble! Dance shalt thou!--" + +"Mercy!" cried Karen. But she did not hear the angel's reply, for the +shoes carried her through the gate into the fields, across roads and +bridges, and she must keep ever dancing. + +One morning she danced past a door she well knew. Within sounded a +psalm; a coffin decked with flowers was borne forth. Then she knew that +the old lady was dead, and that she was abandoned by all. She danced, +and she was forced to dance through the gloomy night. The shoes carried +her over stock and stone; she was torn till she bled. She danced over +the heath till she came to a little house. Here, she knew, dwelt the +executioner; and she tapped with her fingers at the window, and said, +"Come out! come out! I cannot come in, for I am forced to dance." + +And the executioner said, "Thou dost not know who I am, I fancy. I +strike bad people's heads off; and I hear that my axe rings!" + +"Don't strike my head off!" said Karen; "then I can't repent of my +sins! but strike off my feet and the red shoes!" + +And then she confessed her entire sin, and the executioner struck off +her feet, with the red shoes; but the shoes danced away with the little +feet across the field into the deep wood. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER THIRD. + + +HOW KAREN TRIED TO GO TO CHURCH AGAIN, HOW SHE PRAYED AND WAS SORRY, AND +HOW AN ANGEL CAME TO COMFORT HER, AND HOW HAPPY SHE BECAME. + +And the executioner carved out little wooden feet for her, and crutches, +and taught her the psalms criminals always sing; and she kissed the hand +which had wielded the axe, and went over the heath. + +"Now I have suffered enough for the red shoes!" said she; "now I will go +into the church, that people may see me!" And she hastened towards the +church-door; but when she neared it the red shoes danced before her, +and she was terrified, and turned around. + +The whole week she was unhappy, and wept many bitter tears; but when +Sunday returned, she said-- + +"Well, now I have struggled enough! I really believe I am as good as +many a one who sits in the church, and hold their heads so high!" + +And away she went boldly; but she had not got farther than the +churchyard-gate, before she saw the red shoes dancing before her, and +she was frightened, and turned back, and repented of her sin from her +heart. + +And she went to the parsonage, and begged that they would take her into +service; she would be very industrious, she said, and would do every +thing she could; she did not care about the wages, only she wished to +have a home, and be with good people; and the clergyman's wife was sorry +for her, and took her into service; and she _was_ industrious and +thoughtful. She sat still and listened when the clergyman read the Bible +in the evening. All the children thought a deal of her; but when they +spoke of dress, and grandeur, and beauty, she shook her head. + +The following Sunday when the family was going to church, they asked her +whether she would not go with them; but she glanced sorrowfully, with +tears in her eyes, at her feet. The family went to hear the word of God, +but she went alone into her little chamber; there was only room for a +bed and a chair to stand in it; and here she sat down with her +prayer-book; and whilst she read with a pious mind, the wind bore the +strains of the organ towards her, and she raised her tearful eyes to +heaven and said, "Oh God, help me!" + +And the sun shone clearly! And straight before her stood the angel of +God in white garments, the same she had seen at the church-door; but he +no longer carried the sharp sword, but in its stead a splendid green +spray full of roses, and he touched the ceiling with the spray, and the +ceiling rose up high, and where he had touched it there gleamed a golden +star. And he touched the walls and they widened out, and she saw the +organ which was playing; she saw the old pictures of the preachers and +the preachers' wives. + +The congregation sat on cushioned seats, and sang out of their +prayer-books. For the church itself had come to the poor girl in her +narrow chamber, or else she had come into the church. She sat in the +pew with the clergyman's family, and when they had ended the psalm and +looked up, they nodded and said, "It is right that thou art come!" + +"It was through mercy!" she said. + +And the organ pealed, and the children's voices in the choir sounded +sweet and soft. The clear sunshine streamed warmly through the window +into the pew where Karen sat. Her heart was so full of sunshine and +peace, and joy, that it broke. Her soul flew on the sunshine to God, and +there no one asked after the _red shoes_. + + * * * * * + +Hans Christian Andersen is an excellent allegorist, and has very +ingeniously woven together a most interesting fabric in this story of +Karen, who, I am sure, every child cannot fail to see is a fabulous +heroine. And yet there is something so simple and touching in the whole +story, from beginning to end, that one can scarcely read it without +weeping over her sufferings, and wondering in their hearts at the +severity of her punishment. + +In former times there was a real belief in supernatural things among the +simple-minded, a belief which, it seems to me, was much more in +accordance with the Christian character than the senseless unbelief in +every thing which cannot be explained according to natural laws, which +is certainly very much the case at the present day among the wise and +learned, and much more to be regretted than the credulousness of other +days. + +[Illustration] + + + + +NAUGHTY MARIAN. + +[Illustration: NAUGHTY MARIAN.] + + I thought to find my little girl, + When I came home at night, + With brow unruffled as her curl, + And smiles of love as bright. + + I thought she'd jump upon my knee, + And tell me all she'd done, + In reading, study, work, or play, + From morn till set of sun. + + Is this my Marian? No, indeed! + Not such a frown had she! + When my own little girl comes back, + Just send her in to me! + +[Illustration] + +MORNING HOUR. + + * * * * * + + I. + + The buds and the blossoms, + How bright to the view! + Like jewels and diamonds + They sparkle with dew. + + II. + + The sun's rising beams + Have kissed each bright flower: + How lovely the scene! + How peaceful the hour! + + III. + + All nature awakens + From a night of soft sleep, + And the insects once more + From their hiding-holes creep. + + IV. + + The old birds have flown + Far away to get food, + While anxiously wait, + Their young trembling brood. + + V. + + To our Father in heaven + Our voices we'll raise, + With feelings most fervent, + In songs to his praise. + + VI. + + Dear Saviour, to love thee + Our hearts are inclined, + Oh, teach us, we pray thee, + Thy precepts to mind. + + VII. + + Upon our heart-garden, + Oh, let thy love rain, + Like fresh summer showers + Upon the young grain. + + VIII. + + Like soft, gentle dew + Upon the dry earth, + Which opens the old buds, + And to new ones gives birth. + + IX. + + Oh, teach us to offer + Good deeds in thy praise, + And acts of true charity + Be the hymns that we raise. + + X. + + From all that will harm us, + Or sorrow will bring, + Oh, keep us, dear Lord, + Beneath thy bright wing. + + + + +THE CHIMNEY-SWEEP. + + * * * * * + +Charley was a little boy, but he knew very well how to pity the poor, +because he had a kind heart; and he knew very well that the poor +laborers he saw in the streets were not bad because they were meanly +dressed and worked hard: he knew they were men, and had hearts like his +father and mother, and when they were dressed their appearance was very +respectable, and at church no people were more devout or better +mannered. + +One morning--it was winter--the sun shone down from the sky, and melted +the snow and ice in the street and on the tops of the houses, so that it +came tumbling down upon the sidewalks, and the streets were overflowing +with the great flood. Charley was looking out of the window to see it +fall, and the people dodge and scamper along to save themselves from the +great slides that would have been very dangerous if they had hit any one +on the head. He was thinking too of the poor little ragged boys, as they +went by, some with matches, some with newspapers, and some with their +hats in their hands begging, and he wished in his heart that he could do +something to help them all; but he was but a little boy, and scarcely +knew how to take care of himself. As he continued to watch the +passers-by, there came along a poor chimney-sweep, with his soot-bag +and brush; his feet were very red, and looked as if they were bitten +with the frost, for his shoes only half-covered his poor swollen feet, +and he had no stockings on. His blanket that hung over his shoulders was +black as the chimney, and his face looked like soot. + +[Illustration: CHIMNEY-SWEEP] + +Charley was watching him as he went along crying, "Sweep, ho! sweep!" +when down came one of these great slides right upon his head. He fell +flat in a moment, and there he lay as one dead, covered all over with +the cold snow and ice. Charley rushed into the street in a moment, and +screamed for help, but before he could reach the sweep a good man had +raised him up, and was kindly brushing his clothes. He was not much +hurt, but severely stunned. Charley took him by the hand and led him +into the house, and gave him some dry clothes, and put some stockings +and shoes upon his feet, and set before him a warm breakfast besides. + +The poor chimney-sweep wept--for so much kindness had touched his heart, +and he sobbed out his thanks as well as he could, and took his leave +after receiving some small pieces of silver, which. Charley's mother +gave him to help him in his toil; for it was a toilsome life he had to +lead--that poor sweep; so young, too. It made Charley very sorry to see +his tears, and he sat a long time with his head bent upon his breast, +and never spoke one word. At last his mother said-- + +"What troubles you, dear? Are you thinking of the unfortunate +chimney-sweep? Then learn a lesson of gratitude for your own happy lot, +and be humble; for remember that this poor sweep is as good as you, and +perhaps far better in the sight of God, who looks at the heart and not +at the outward appearance. See how much he must suffer in his poverty; +he may have feelings attuned in beautiful accord with all things noble +and charming in nature. He is really very intelligent-looking. He makes +me think of the little boy that ran through the streets of a large city +all of one cold winter, and then became a great artist, but he was so +poor and inexperienced in the ways of the world, that he had to suffer a +long time before his genius was discovered. Some time I will tell you +about him, that you may know that true genius and worth may be found +among the lowest children of earth, and, like the diamond, they will +shine when they are polished." + +[Illustration] + + + + +PLEASANT AMUSEMENTS. + + * * * * * + +"Let us go over our first steps again," said Marian to her sister; +"there is nothing like beginning right. When we learn to dance or to +sing, or indeed any thing else, we must be sure to learn our _first +lesson well_, and then we shall be _sure_ to improve; and dancing is +certainly a very useful and pleasing amusement. It is _useful_ because +it is a healthy exercise. It is called 'the poetry of motion,' and I +have read that the great philosopher Locke speaks of it as of the +greatest importance in the education of young people, and he says it +cannot be learned too early." + +"And I think," said the mother of these young misses, "he is very right; +for as we grow older we have more pressing and important uses to +perform. Every thing in its own time, my children; as I have told, you +before, dancing, as well as music, is a most delightful accomplishment; +but we must not neglect our other duties for these." + + + + +THE CAGED BIRD. + + * * * * * + + I. + + Pretty bird! pretty bird! + Singing so sweet; + Art wishing for freedom-- + Bird-friends to meet? + + II. + + Dost thou guess what it is-- + Living in trees? + And to sleep in a nest + Rocked by the breeze? + + III. + + Thou wert born in a cage, + My own dear bird! + But, I fancy, new longings + Thy heart have stirred. + + IV. + + Or perhaps to the garden + Some bird has flown, + And taught thee of freedom, + Before unknown. + +[Illustration] + + V. + + If I open thy cage + And bid thee to fly, + Wilt thou ever come back, + To gladden mine eye? + + VI. + + Shall I hear thy sweet song, + Morning and eve? + Or wilt thou forever + Thy mistress leave? + + VII. + + Well, dear little bird! + I'll open thy door: + Fly forth to the woods; + I'll cage thee no more. + + VIII. + + But when winter months come, + With storm-winds that blow, + Come back; I will shelter thee + From the storm and snow. + + + + +THE YOUNG GLEANER + + +A FREE TRANSLATION FROM THE GERMAN. + + + * * * * * + + +CHAPTER FIRST. + + +HOW WILLY MEETS THE YOUNG GLEANER IN THE FIELD--HOW HE PITIES HIS +MISFORTUNES, AND ASSISTS TO FILL HIS BAG WITH CORN. + +One hot day in the harvest-time, a little boy named Willy got leave of +his father to go out into the corn-field to watch the reapers bind up +the sheaves and load the wagons; and he gathered the field-flowers, and +formed them into wreaths to give to his mother, because she loved them +dearly. After running about until he was hot and tired, Willy seated +himself under the shade of a tree, to rest and amuse himself with his +flowers. The poppies, corn-bottles, and darnel, he tied up into bunches. +As he was thus occupied, he saw a poor little ragged boy enter the +field, his feet bleeding, and an empty bag slung by a cord around his +neck. + +Willy instantly felt sorry for the distressed boy, and went up to him, +and asked him kindly what he cried for and what caused his feet to +bleed. And he made the boy sit down under the walnut-tree by him, and, +by dint of kind inquiries, drew out of him this pitiful story:-- + +[Illustration] + +"We are five children, and our father and mother are very poor. I am the +eldest, and my father sends me out in the harvest to glean in the +corn-fields, for we have no field of our own to reap, and the little +money for which father toils so hard is barely enough to procure our +daily bread; but I can fill this bag in a day if I work diligently, and +I hope to make a little store against winter, when father is often +unemployed, and earning nothing. I went out at daybreak this morning, +and had more than half filled my bag, when I had the misfortune to +enter the squire's large corn-field. The corn was all reaped and bound +up into sheaves. As there were no other gleaners there, I found a good +store of ears on the ground, and should soon have filled my bag, if the +squire's son, who was in the field, had not seen me. + +"He came close up to me with a stick in his hand, and called me a dirty +beggar-boy. But I went on with my gleaning as if I did not hear him, +which vexed him so that he set the dog on me. I was very much +frightened, and in fear and self-defence took up a handful of earth to +throw at him, which so incensed its master, that he came up to me, +pulled my bag violently from my neck, emptied all that I had gathered +upon the ground, threw the bag in my face, and gave me several hard +kicks and blows, and ended it all by setting the great dog upon me +again, whose bites you see upon my feet." + +"What a bad boy!" cried Willy, "and did you treat him as he deserved?" + +"No, indeed; I only begged that he would let me pick up my ears of corn; +but he would not consent, and drove me out of the field, bidding me +never enter there again, under pain of a sound drubbing from the +workmen, who would be ready enough, for they laughed when they saw the +squire's son ill-treating me." Then the poor sorrowful child began to +weep afresh. + +"Do your feet hurt you much, poor boy?" asked Willy, in a very +sympathizing tone. + +"Yes, sadly enough," was the reply; "but I would not mind that at all, +if I had not to go home with my bag empty. Father will think that I have +been idling all day, and will be angry, and not give me any thing to +eat; and I am very hungry now, for I have had only a small piece of dry +bread before I came out this morning." + +"Oh, is that all?" rejoined Willy. "Here, take this," said the kind boy, +handing him a bun which his mother had given him for his luncheon, "for +I am not hungry, and if I was, I had rather see you eat it than eat it +myself." + +The poor boy hesitated to take the bun, but yielded to Willy's kind +entreaty, and ate it up very quick. + +Then Willy said, "Now let us fill the bag, for I am going to help you." + +So they went to work where the sheaves had stood before the cart was +loaded, and had nearly filled the bag, when Willy heard his father +calling to him from under the walnut-tree. + + + + +CHAPTER SECOND. + +HOW THE YOUNG GLEANER WAS MUCH FRIGHTENED, AND HOW HAPPY HE WAS +MADE--AND HOW DELIGHTED WILLY WAS IN DOING KIND THINGS TO THE POOR. + + +"I wish you would allow me a few moments," answered Willy to his father, +"just to help a poor boy fill his bag from the gleanings of the field." + +[Illustration] + +"But I want you to go with me to the garden," replied his father; "there +are some pears to be gathered, and I know somebody that is very fond of +pears." + +"Yes, I do like them, father--for I suppose you mean me--but to-day I +like much better to stay here and help this poor boy. I pity him very +much, he has been so cruelly treated by a bad boy." Then Willy told his +father of the little boy's adventure in the squire's field, how the +squire's son had beaten and set the dog upon him, and how the poor boy +had cried and suffered with the pain, and the dread of taking home the +empty bag. + +The father listened attentively to his son's tale, and immediately went +to the little ragged fellow, who was so busy gathering the fallen ears, +that he did not hear him when he approached. + +"Shall I help you?" said the loud voice of the master of the field. + +The child was terrified, and replied, "Indeed, indeed, I have not +touched a single stalk or ear of corn except those which were left on +the ground." + +"I believe you, my little fellow, you need not tremble so; if you were +a thief you would not be a gleaner. Come here, my boy." He then took him +to a sheaf of corn, and filled his bag. + +As soon as this was done, Willy sprung up and flew into his father's +arms, and kissed him, exclaiming, "Thank you, thank you, dearest father, +kindest father! this is so kind!" + +"May God reward you," said the boy, as he went away with tears in his +eyes. + +Little Willy was very happy, and expressed his interest in the poor boy +several times on their way to the garden. + +"Why are you so happy, my son? Is it on account of the ripe apricots, or +because you have tasted a different pleasure?" + +Willy looked into his father's face said, "It is because that poor boy +is made happier." + +After leaving the garden, he ran to his mother and gave her the flowers +he had gathered for her, and related the adventure with the little boy. +His mother was very much pleased to find her son possessed so much +kindness for the poor, and she promised to assist him in his benevolent +feelings, and to allow him in future to look after the poor little +stranger, and supply him with clothes, books, and also food for the +family, whenever it was necessary for their comfort. + +Willy was never so happy and cheerful as when he was doing good and +planning something useful to his poor neighbors and friends, for this +was the way he lost sight of his own self-gratification, and grew up to +be a worthy and honorable man, respected and beloved by all who knew +him; for through his tender care and benevolence he dried many tears of +penury and sorrow. + + + + +PERSEVERANCE. + + * * * * * + + My master says this is done well, + How glad, how proud am I! + For I shall see a joyful smile + In mother's dear kind eye. + + She'll lay her hand upon my head, + And kiss my forehead too, + And whisper softly in my ear, + "Did I not tell you true?" + + For when I said, "Oh _dear_, I can't!" + And breathed a heavy sigh, + My mother said, "Nay, do not fear; + Come, let me see you try. + +[Illustration: THE PERSEVERING BOY.] + + "For if you will I'm very sure + It will not be in vain; + You know a hard task _really_ learnt + Is more than double gain." + + I've learned it all, and written it + Without the least mistake, + And mother said, "I am right glad + To see the pains you take." + + I did not know how pleasant 'twas + To study hard before; + But now, I'm very sure, I'll ask + For easy tasks no more. + + + + +[Illustration: "Now Tony might have been often seen sitting in front of +his father's cottage."--_See page_ 107.] + + + + +TONY THE MILLER'S SON + + * * * * * + +CHAPTER FIRST. + + +ABOUT A MILL, AND THE OLD MILLER WHO BECAME TIRED AND SOLD IT TO TONY'S +FATHER, AND OF THE ADVICE GIVEN TO THE NEW OCCUPANT. + +For many long years there once stood a solitary mill. It was in a valley +between two high mountains. The stream that turned the great wheel was +so strong and rapid, that its current never ceased the year through. +Even in the hottest summer weather, when all other mills had to stop for +want of water, or in the depth of winter, when other mill-streams were +frozen over, this same mill could go on, ever working, and never +standing still. + +For this reason people brought their grain from far and near, even from +the city on the farthest side of the lake which received the waters of +the stream. + +Now it came to pass the old miller grew weary of the old mill, and as he +had made a handsome fortune by his industry, he determined to sell it +and go to the city, there to spend his days in a more social way, and of +use to his fellow-men. After having agreed with a purchaser, and +received payment, he delivered the key to him with these words-- + +"Friend, you have paid me honorably, and I must give you a bit of good +advice into the bargain. You may be visited sometimes by strange persons +of very small stature, who will ask favors of you. Follow my counsel, +and oblige them in what they request. You will find it for your good in +doing so." Then the old miller bade him good-by, and went his way. + +The new miller took possession of the place, with his wife and only +child, whose name was Tony. + +[Illustration] + +Now Tony was a good boy, but very fond of playing, and in the winter +season nothing delighted him more than to go a skating with the +neighbors' children. + +This his father was very willing he should do, because he believed it to +be useful in strengthening his limbs. + +Here is a picture of Tony skating, but you see he has fallen down flat +on his back; but he never minds trifles, he will be up in a moment. + +Tony's father was very active, industrious, and exceedingly clever at +his business, of a frugal turn, and his wife also a good manager; no +wonder that they soon became prosperous. + +Half a year had passed away without his hearing or seeing any thing of +the little people the old miller had mentioned at parting; but at last, +one morning as he was standing outside the mill, a little woman appeared +before him so suddenly that he started in surprise. With a small clear +voice she spoke. + +"Good-morning, neighbor. I came to ask you to open your sluice-gates at +noon, so that your mill may stop for half an hour. We have had our large +wash, and shall empty our tubs, which will cause a flood that might +injure your mill. Farewell! and pray attend to my friendly warning." + + + + +CHAPTER SECOND. + + +HOW THE MILLER BEHAVED TO HIS KIND NEIGHBORS, AND ABOUT THE RUSHING +TORRENT WHICH CAME VERY NEAR DESTROYING THE OLD MILL. + +The miller knew not what to think. He had never heard of these neighbors +before. He had lately been in the upper valley to cut firewood for the +winter season, and had seen no trace of inhabitants in the silent gloomy +forest. "Besides," thought he, "wherever they are, and if they have ever +so great a wash, what need is there to stop my mill? No, no, it will not +do, careful neighbor; there is a great deal of meal to be ground +to-day, and we must lose no time." He went to work, and forgot the +warning. + +At dinner, however, one of his men came in hastily, crying, "Master! +master! has not the little water-maid given you notice, as she always +did to my old master? She and her company are having their large wash +and have been emptying their water-tubs. Hark! how the stream roars and +rages! and the wheel turns as if driven by a hurricane! The sky is +clear, there has been no rain, yet look at the rushing torrent." + +The miller, alarmed, looked out of the window. His face became red with +anger, and he said, "What did I know about the water-witch, and her +abominable washing-day? Spiteful, mischievous hag!" + +In an hour or two the stream resumed its usual course, and subsided to +its former level; but the wheels and works of the mill were damaged, +and the miller suffered from the expense of repairs, and from the delay +it occasioned. + +After some time the mill went on clacking and grinding corn as well as +ever, when one day the miller stood looking at his meadow, thinking to +himself, "The grass looks very green, and the weather is very fine; this +meadow must be mown to-morrow." + +As he thus stood and looked, two airy figures like young girls appeared, +so transparent that the miller fancied that he could see the grass +through them as they floated over it, and a gentle voice said, "Good day +to you, miller! We beg that thou wilt allow us to dance this evening +upon this meadow." + +Though much astonished, the miller quickly replied in a cross tone, +"How! dance upon my meadow! tread down my grass!" + +The voice answered "We will not do thy grass any harm; we and our +friends dance so lightly that we hardly touch the tips, of thy long +grass." + +The miller replied sharply, "Why then ask me? If you do not trample my +grass, you may dance all the year round for all me." + +"Thank you," replied the airy creature; "we only beg, for thy own good, +that thou wilt not mow thy grass until a shower of rain has wet it after +our dance. Remember this." + +They then vanished like a thin vapor. + +"Foolish people!" cried the miller; "did I ever hear such nonsense? Must +I put off my hay-making till it rains? We may not have such fine dry +weather again during the summer. I shall send my men to cut it down +to-morrow." He went back to the mill and gave his orders, but said not a +word to anybody about what he had heard and seen. When Tony, the +miller's son, was going to bed that night, he looked out of the window, +and cried to his father-- + +"There is a strange man with a lantern in the meadow, full of pale +lights, dancing about, sometimes forming a wide circle, now dispersing +in all directions, then mingling confusedly together." + +And the latter said, "These can be nothing but jack-o-lanterns, or +wandering Willies. They come out of the boggy ground, and are driven +about by the winds. Wo to the unlucky traveller who takes them for a +guide!" After looking at the meadow awhile, they all went to bed. + +Next day the men obeyed the master's orders, and mowed the grass. The +weather was so fine that the hay was made in a few days, and brought +safely into the barn. No sooner, however, had the cattle begun to eat of +it, than they were all seized with a mortal sickness. In a few weeks the +stalls were empty; and even the sheep and pigs, which had been turned +out to graze in the meadow, shared the same fate. The miller stormed and +raved, and accused his servants of neglect, and was so ill-humored that +his wife and son dared not say a word to him. He set out for the city to +find the old miller, to complain to him of his losses. The good old man +told him at once that he must have forgotten the warning he gave him at +parting, and have disobliged or have been unfriendly in some way +towards his little neighbors; advised him to burn his hay, and to +beware in future of showing ill-nature or a disobliging spirit towards +the little shadowy people. + +The miller went home and followed this advice, and burned his hay. Then +he borrowed money to buy more cattle, which thrived well and were very +profitable; he worked diligently at the mill, and bade his wife be more +economical in the kitchen; but to no poor man or child who ventured to +knock at his gate did he open his hand or heart in charity. + +One day a very diminutive man, dressed in brown clothes, with skin of +the same color, knocked at the door of the mill and asked for a little +fine meal. The miller looked black, and bade him be gone. + +"I ask only for a little, a very little; you see my bag will not hold +more than a handful or two." + +More angry as the brown man continued his entreaty, the miller replied-- + +"I will not give you one atom." + +"Do have a little pity," implored the little man; "I _must_ have some +meal, and I _must_ have it as a gift, or I would pay for it a +thousand-fold." + +The iron-hearted miller became furious, notwithstanding the little man's +earnest begging, and he loosed the great dog, and sent him to drive him +away. + +As the little man was passing the tall garden-hedge, Tony slipped out at +the back-door, and crept softly to the hedge, saying-- + +"Wait a minute, and give me your bag." + +The little man gave him the bag, and Tony ran to the store-room, where +there were several sacks, and filled the man's bag with the finest and +best meal he could find. The man received it with joy, and thanked Tony +heartily for his kindness, and said to him, "If you are ever in +distress, and want help, come to the oak spring." + +He nodded his head, and Tony saw him take the steep path up the +mountains. + +"Poor little man!" said Tony to himself, "perhaps he has a hungry little +child at home, for whom he wants to make some porridge. It was very +wrong of me to go and take father's meal out of the store-room without +his knowledge; yet the little man's need was so great, and he begged so +earnestly, that it would have been a greater injustice not to have +taken pity on him. I will go to my mother and ask her to give me less +for my breakfast and supper, until the meal is replaced." + +Summer was nearly over when one day a water-spout burst in, the upper +valley, which caused such a sudden and terrible flood, that the miller +and his family had only time to save their lives by flight. + +When the waters had subsided, the miller contrived a hovel in the only +corner left standing of the mill; and here, with his wife and Tony, +abode in the extreme of poverty. + +The good boy was grieved for his parents' misery, but chiefly for his +poor mother, who was now unable to leave her wretched bed of moss and +leaves. + +Two goats had escaped the general destruction. These Tony took care of, +and drove them out to feed upon the mountains every day. Having set out +with them one morning, he took the same hill-path by which the brown man +had gone, until he came to a large oak-tree, under whose roots he +perceived a cave, which appeared to have been hollowed out by a spring. +At the entrance Tony sat down beneath the tree, and suffered his goats +to browse and skip about at pleasure. + +"Oh!" said he, "if father only was more cheerful and mother quite well, +all would be right, and although we have no mill, and only dry bread and +goats' milk, I should be quite content." + +With these thoughts in his head he fell asleep. He had not slept long +before he heard his name called, and on opening his eyes he saw far into +the cave, and at its entrance stood the little brown man, who, nodding +kindly, said-- + +"Art thou come at last? I will show thee my house and garden, which +will, I am sure, please thee." + +Tony followed the little brown man, and after going on a long way, they +came to a passage lined with smooth stone. As they proceeded the light +became stronger, and they next entered another, the walls of which were +formed of large iron plates. Passing through this they reached another +lined with bright sheets of copper, which led to a large hall with a +roof and pillars of burnished silver. From this hall a pair of +folding-doors gave access to a splendid room, with walls, roof, and +floor of solid gold, and windows of transparent crystal. The next room +was covered with red rubies, having windows formed of large diamonds. + +Tony was led from one chamber to another, all glittering with precious +stones, sapphires, topazes, emeralds, and amethysts. Last of all they +came to a vestibule, with a dome, and pillars of the brightest polished +steel. + +[Illustration] + +"My brothers will rejoice to see you," said the little man. "Come into +the garden." + +It was enclosed with a fence of silver wire, curiously wrought, and the +flowers were beautiful beyond description. The trees too were loaded +with fruit equally new to him. + +In one part of the garden a number of children were playing. They piled +up heaps of pebbles, jumped over them, and laughed heartily if one did +not spring clear over, or tumbled down. When Tony came near they cried +out, "Welcome, Tony!" and shook his hand, and looked kindly in his face, +gathered some fruit, and led him to the other side of the garden, where +there was a grove of trees which bore gold and silver fruit. These trees +looked just like those the angels bring to children on Christmas-eve. +The children shook the trees, and the fruit fell off till the ground +was all covered; then they gathered it up and offered Tony an equal +share with themselves, and gave him a diamond needle, and instructed him +to string them into a necklace, and threw it over his shoulders. Then +they presented him with a sweet orange for his mother, and a pomegranate +for his father, which they said must be opened very carefully. "He will +know what use to make of its contents," continued they. "Tell him we +send it as a recompense for the meal which thou gavest us out of his +store." + +Tony modestly inquired if he might keep the necklace. They replied, that +it was given him to do as he pleased with; but Tony thought it would +make his father and mother rich again, so he resolved in his heart that +he would give it to them. + +Then he took leave of his kind little friends, and his conductor led +him back through the passages to the entrance, and bade him farewell. + +When Tony reached home his mother asked him where he had been, for, said +she, "We have been seeking thee these three days, and thy father is gone +out once more, almost in despair of ever finding thee. But come here, +Tony, and let me see those shining things upon thy neck." + +Just then his father entered. "Ah! Tony, where hast thou been, my boy? I +thought thee lost to us forever." + +Tony looked at his parents and then at the shining necklace, which he +had almost forgotten, and thought, "_Then it is not all a dream_! Dear +father, I have been with the little brown men of the mountain, and they +gave me these shining stones, and here is a present for you," taking +the pomegranate from his pocket; "you will know how to use it; and this +is for you, dear mother," handing her the orange. His mother received +and ate it with a great relish. Not so the father; he examined it with +suspicion, and asked who this little brown man was. + +"Why, don't you remember, father, the little man who came to the mill +and begged some meal? You would not give him any, and drove him away, +but I was so sorry for him, that I filled his bag out of the finest we +had in the store-house, and told mother about it, and if I did wrong I +am very sorry." + +"And does the brown man send me this as a present?" said the +conscience-stricken father, almost dropping the fruit upon the ground; +"there may be something hidden in it to destroy me." + +"Oh, no, father! they are too good to take revenge; they are all love +and kindness, depend upon it. They send you this present for your good, +I am sure. Pray do open it." + +"Yes, indeed," said the wife, "I know it will bring in good fortune; I +feel better, much better, since I ate the orange." + +"Well then, I will open the fruit," said the husband. As he spoke he +broke the rind, when there rolled out upon the floor a large number of +polished diamonds. + + * * * * * + +Now the miller was able to rebuild his mill and do a great deal of good +to the poor, and was once more a rich and thriving man; no longer +hard-hearted, but kind and benevolent. Not a poor family was to be +found, for to all who wanted he gave employment, thereby giving +happiness to all. + +Tony had been taught to read in his early childhood, and might have been +often seen, before the acquaintance with the little brown neighbors, +sitting in front of his father's cottage, reading. Among his amusements +_now_, he was frequently engaged in taking some of the children of the +neighborhood to ride in his neat little chaise, with his beautiful +striped horse. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration] + +He had now become older, and as he was fond of learning he was put to +the best schools, and grew up to be a man having the true love of man in +his heart, and happy to share the bounties of Providence with all that +were in need; and he was blessed with more happiness than generally +falls to the lot of men at this day. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Pearl Story Book, by Mrs. Colman + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11333 *** |