diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:22:46 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:22:46 -0700 |
| commit | 9cec07c2144958cacaf8e4bc2f6d6d8a52feb56f (patch) | |
| tree | 7275935cd9f8ebb107269d92af1b382b1ec434f4 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 4040-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 32772 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 4040-h/4040-h.htm | 2238 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 4040.txt | 1751 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 4040.zip | bin | 0 -> 31545 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/pdlrd10.txt | 1715 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/pdlrd10.zip | bin | 0 -> 30626 bytes |
9 files changed, 5720 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/4040-h.zip b/4040-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d4e6f29 --- /dev/null +++ b/4040-h.zip diff --git a/4040-h/4040-h.htm b/4040-h/4040-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e7ff737 --- /dev/null +++ b/4040-h/4040-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2238 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Pedler of Dust Sticks + +Author: Eliza Lee Follen + +Posting Date: June 11, 2009 [EBook #4040] +Release Date: May 2003, +First Posted: October 19, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +MRS. FOLLEN +</H2> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +With illustrations by Billings +</H4> + +<BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<H4> + <A HREF="#pedler">THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS.</A><BR> + <A HREF="#grave">"ON THE GRAVE OF THE GOOD, GREAT MAN."</A><BR> + <A HREF="#deeds">THE MIGHTY DEEDS OF ABC.</A><BR> + <A HREF="#day">WHAT DAY IS IT?</A><BR> + <A HREF="#child">THE CHILD AT HER MOTHER'S GRAVE.</A><BR> + <A HREF="#prayer">EVENING PRAYER.</A><BR> + <A HREF="#sabbath">THE SABBATH IS HERE.</A><BR> + <A HREF="#butterfly">TO A BUTTERFLY.</A><BR> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="pedler"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS. +</H3> + +<P> +One day I went to visit a friend, a lady, who came from Hamburg, in +Germany. I was much pleased with a portrait which was hanging up in +her room, and I was particularly struck by the ornamental drawings +with which the picture was surrounded. They consisted of whip +handles, canes, piano keys, mouth-pieces for wind instruments, all +sorts of umbrellas, and many more things, of every sort, made of +cane and whalebone. The arrangement was so ingenious, the designs so +fanciful, and the execution so good, that nothing could be prettier. +But what of course was of the most importance, was the face and head +that they were meant to ornament. "What a benevolent, what a +beautiful face!" I said. "Who is it?" +</P> + +<P> +"My father," the lady replied; "and he is more beautiful than the +picture, and he is still more kind than he looks there." +</P> + +<P> +"What is the meaning of all these bits of bamboo and these little +canes, so fancifully arranged around the picture?" I asked. +</P> + +<P> +"These little sticks," she replied, "tell the story of my father's +success, and of the beginning of his greatness. He began his noble +and honorable life as a little Pedler of Dust Sticks." +</P> + +<P> +"Pedler of Dust Sticks?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," she said; "if you would like to hear his history, I will +relate it." +</P> + +<P> +I replied that nothing could please me better; that I considered the +life of a good, great man the most beautiful of all stories. +</P> + +<P> +"I will tell it to you just as it was; and you may, if you please, +repeat it for the benefit of any one." +</P> + +<P> +When I had returned home I wrote the story down, just as I +remembered it, as she had given me leave to do. +</P> + +<P> +The Christian name of our hero was Henry, and so we will call him. +His parents lived in Hamburg, in Germany. They were very poor. His +father was a cabinet maker, with a very small business. Henry was +the second of eight children. As soon as he was eight years old, his +father, in order to raise a few more shillings to support his +family, sent him into the streets to sell little pieces of ratan, +which the people there use to beat the dust out of their clothes. +</P> + +<P> +Henry got about a cent and a half apiece for the sticks. If he sold +a great number of these little sticks, he was allowed, as a reward, +to go to an evening school, where he could learn to read. This was a +great pleasure to him; but he wanted also to learn to write. For +this, however, something extra was to be paid, and Henry was very +anxious to earn more, that he might have this advantage. +</P> + +<P> +There is a fine public walk in Hamburg, where the fashionable people +go, in good weather, to see and be seen; and where the young men go +to wait upon and see the ladies. These gentlemen were fond of having +little canes in their hands, to play with, to switch their boots +with, and to show the young ladies how gracefully they could move +their arms; and sometimes to write names in the sand. So little +Henry thought of making some very pretty canes, and selling them to +these young beaux. +</P> + +<P> +He soaked his canes for a long time in warm water, and bent the tops +round for a handle, and then ornamented them with his penknife, and +made them really very pretty. Then he went to the public walk, and +when he saw a young man walking alone, he went up to him, and with a +sweet and pleasant voice, he would say, "Will you buy a pretty cane, +sir? Six cents apiece." +</P> + +<P> +Almost every gentleman took one of the canes. +</P> + +<P> +With the money he got for his canes he was able to pay for lessons +in writing. This made him very happy, for it was the reward of his +own industry and ingenuity. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as Henry was old enough, his father employed him to carry +home the work to customers. The boy had such a beautiful +countenance, was so intelligent, and had such a pleasant manner, +that many of the customers wanted to have him come and live with +them, and promised to take good care of him; but Henry always said, +"No, I prefer staying with my father, and helping him." +</P> + +<P> +Every day the little fellow would take his bundle of dust sticks and +little canes in a box he had for the purpose, and walk up and down +the streets, offering them to every one who he thought would buy +them. And happy enough was he when he sold them all and brought home +the money to his poor father, who found it so hard to support a +large family. +</P> + +<P> +All the evenings when Henry was not so happy as to go to school, he +worked as long as he could keep his eyes open. +</P> + +<P> +He was very skilful, and made his canes so pretty, and he was such a +good boy, that he made many friends, and almost always found a good +market for his sticks. +</P> + +<P> +The poor fellow was very anxious to get money. Often his father's +customers gave him a few pence. Once he came near risking his life +to obtain a small sum. He was very strong and active, and excelled +in all the common exercises of boys; such as running, jumping, &c. +One day he got up on the top of a very high baggage wagon, and +called to the boys below, and asked them how many pence they would +give him if he would jump off of it to the ground. Some one offered +two. +</P> + +<P> +"Two are too few to risk my life for," he replied. +</P> + +<P> +They then promised to double the number; and he was upon the point +of jumping, when he felt a smart slap on his back. +</P> + +<P> +"That's what you shall have for risking your life for a few pence," +said his father, who, unobserved by Henry, had heard what had +passed, and climbed up the wagon just in time to save Henry from +perhaps breaking his neck, or at least some of his limbs. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was very fond of skating, but he had no skates. One day, when +the weather and ice were fine, he went to see the skaters. He had +only a few pence in his pocket, and he offered them for the use of a +pair of skates for a little while; but the person who had skates to +let could get more for them, and so he refused poor Henry. There was +near by, at the time, a man whose profession was gambling; and he +said to Henry, "I will show you a way by which you can double and +triple your money, if you will come with me." +</P> + +<P> +Henry followed him to a little booth, in which was a table and some +chairs; and there the man taught him a gambling game, by which, in a +few minutes, he won a dollar. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was going away with his money, thinking with delight of the +pleasure he should have in skating, and also of the money that would +be left to carry home to his poor father, when the gambler said to +him, "You foolish boy, why won't you play longer, and double your +dollar? You may as well have two or three dollars as one." +</P> + +<P> +Henry played again, and lost not only what he had won, but the few +pence he had when he came upon the ice. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was fortunate enough that day, after this occurrence, to sell +a few pretty canes, and so had some money to carry to his father; +but still he went home with a heavy heart, for he knew that he had +done a very foolish thing. +</P> + +<P> +He had learned, by this most fortunate ill luck, what gambling was; +and he made a resolution then, which he faithfully kept through his +whole after life, never to allow any poverty, any temptation +whatever, to induce him to gamble. +</P> + +<P> +Henry continually improved in his manufacture of canes, and he often +succeeded in getting money enough to pay for his writing lessons. +</P> + +<P> +There were Jews in the city, who sold canes as he did, and he would +often make an exchange with them; even if they insisted upon having +two or three of his for one of theirs; he would consent to the +bargain, when he could get from them a pretty cane; and then he +would carry it home, and imitate it, so that his canes were much +admired; and the little fellow gained customers and friends too +every day. +</P> + +<P> +The bad boys in the city he would have nothing to do with; he +treated them civilly, but he did not play with them, nor have them +for his friends. He could not take pleasure in their society. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was a great lover of nature. He spent much of his life out in +the open air, under the blue skies; and he did not fail to notice +what a grand and beautiful roof there was over his head. The clouds +by day, the stars by night, were a continued delight to him. The +warm sunshine in winter, and the cool shade of the trees in summer, +he enjoyed more than many a rich boy does the splendid furniture and +pictures in his father's house. +</P> + +<P> +One beautiful summer afternoon he was going, with his canes on his +shoulder, through the public promenade on the banks of the little +bay around which was the public walk. The waves looked so blue, and +the air was so delicious, that he was resolved he would treat +himself to a row upon the sparkling waters; so he hired a little +boat, and then got some long branches from the trees on the shore, +and stuck them all around the edges of his boat, and tied them +together by their tops, so as to make an arbor in the boat, and got +in and rowed himself about, whistling all the tunes he knew for his +music, to his heart's content. He went alone, for he had no +companion that he liked; and he would have none other. +</P> + +<P> +At last what should he see but his father, walking on the bank. +</P> + +<P> +Henry knew that his father would be very angry with him, for he was +a severe man; but he determined to bear his punishment, let it be +what it would, patiently; for he knew, when he went, that his father +would not like it; and yet he said, in telling this story to a +friend, "I was so happy, and this pleasure was so innocent, that I +could not feel as sorry as I ought to feel." +</P> + +<P> +Henry bore his punishment like a brave boy. +</P> + +<P> +It was too bad for the poor fellow to have no pleasures; nothing but +work all the time. This was especially hard for him, for no one +loved amusement better than he. +</P> + +<P> +He relished a piece of fun exceedingly. In the city of Hamburg there +was a place where young girls were always to be seen with flowers in +their hands to sell. He had observed that the Jews, of whom he +bought the pretty canes, were often rude to them, and he determined +to punish some of them. There was one who wore a wig, with a long +queue to it. The girls had their long hair braided and left hanging +down behind. +</P> + +<P> +One day this man was sitting in this flower market, with his back to +one of these girls, and Henry took the opportunity, and before +either knew what he did, he tied the two queues together; the young +girl happened not to like her seat very well, and got up rather +suddenly to change it, and off she went with the Jew's wig dangling +behind her, much to the amusement of the spectators, and especially +of Henry, who saw and enjoyed it all highly, though pretending to be +very busy selling a cane to a gentleman, who joined in the general +laugh. +</P> + +<P> +Lucky it was for Henry that the Jew did not discover who it was that +had played this roguish trick. +</P> + +<P> +Henry saw how difficult it was for his father to support the family, +and was very earnest to get money in any honest way. One day the +managers of a theatre hired him to take part in a play, where they +wanted to make a crowd. He was pleased at the thought of making some +money to carry home; but when he went behind the scenes, and saw all +that the actors did, he ran away and left them, caring not for the +money, so he could but get away from such disgusting things. +</P> + +<P> +Thus did Henry live, working from early morning till night, going to +school with a little of the money he had earned, when his father +would allow him to take it; keeping himself unstained by the +wickedness that he often saw and heard in his walks through the +city; observing every thing worth noticing, and making friends every +where by his honesty, purity, and kind-heartedness. +</P> + +<P> +At this time the French were in Hamburg, provisions were dearer than +ever, and Henry's father, with all the help he received from his +son, could not support his family in the city. +</P> + +<P> +One day he called Henry, and said, "Do you think you could support +your mother and younger sister and brother in some other place?" +Henry replied directly, "Yes, dear father, I can; at least, I will +try." So his father sent him with this part of his family to a +cheaper place, about fifty miles inland. He gave him five dollars +and his blessing, as they parted. +</P> + +<P> +Here was our friend Henry in a strange town, a small place, with no +friends there, but just fifteen years old, and with his mother, and +brother, and sister depending upon him for their daily bread. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was a brave boy; so he did not allow himself to fear. With his +five dollars he secured small, cheap rooms for a week, bought some +bread and milk for the family, and after a good night's sleep set +out, the next morning, to obtain work. He went into the street, and +after a while read upon a sign, "Furniture varnished." He went into +the shop and asked for work. The man asked him if he could varnish +well. Henry replied, "Yes, I can." He was very skilful, and he had +varnished his canes sometimes, and he felt sure he could. +</P> + +<P> +"You came from Hamburg?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, sir." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps you know some new and better way than we have of +varnishing?" +</P> + +<P> +"What method do you take?" asked Henry. +</P> + +<P> +The man told him. +</P> + +<P> +Here Henry's habit of observing was the means of his getting bread +for himself and family. He had noticed a new and better way that +varnishers employed in Hamburg, and though he had not tried it with +his own hands, he was sure he could imitate what he had seen. He +said that he knew a better way. The man engaged him for a week, and +was much pleased with his work; he did not want him long, but gave +him a recommendation when he parted with him. +</P> + +<P> +After this Henry went to the baker of whom he had bought bread for +the family, and asked him for employment. The baker told him he +wanted his house painted, and asked him if he could do it. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Henry, "I can do it well, I know." +</P> + +<P> +The baker liked him very much, and gave him the job without any +hesitation. +</P> + +<P> +The baker's apprentices had noticed what a good fellow Henry was, +and would often give him, in addition to the loaf for the family, +some nice cakes to carry home. So he was, as you see, now working +among friends. +</P> + +<P> +Henry had never painted before; but he had observed painters at +their work, and he did it well. He soon became known to all the +people of the town, and made many friends. He was never idle. He +made canes when he had no other work. He varnished, or painted, or +did anything that he could get to do, and supported the whole family +comfortably for two years. +</P> + +<P> +At the end of this time, his father sent to him to bring the family +home to Hamburg. Henry left without a single debt, and in the place +of the five dollars carried home ten to his father. +</P> + +<P> +I must tell you of a piece of Henry's economy and self-denial. He +grew very fast, and his boots became too small for him. While he was +getting every thing comfortable for others, he denied himself a pair +of new boots, and used to oil the old ones every time he put them +on, so as to be able to get his feet into them, and never complained +of the pain. +</P> + +<P> +Our hero—for I am sure he was a true hero—was now seventeen. The +French had left Hamburg when he returned, but it was still necessary +to have a body of soldiers to protect it, and he joined a corps of +young men. They made him distributer of provisions. His office was +one given only to those known to be honest and worthy of confidence. +The citizens began even then to show their respect for the little +pedler of dust sticks and canes. We shall see what he was yet to be. +</P> + +<P> +Henry returned to cane-making, to which he and his father soon added +work in whalebone. They were pretty successful, but, as they had +very little money to purchase stock and tools, could not make a +great business. +</P> + +<P> +It was about this time that Henry became acquainted with one who was +to form the greatest happiness of his life. There was a poor girl in +Hamburg who was a seamstress, and who not only supported herself but +her mother by her needle. Her name was Agatha. She had a lovely face +and very engaging manners; her character was still more lovely than +her face; and she had only these to recommend her, for she was very +poor. Henry became strongly attached to her, and she soon returned +his love. +</P> + +<P> +Henry's father and mother did not approve of this connection because +the girl was very poor; and as their son was so handsome and +agreeable, had now many friends, and was very capable, they thought +that he might marry the daughter of some rich man perhaps, and so +get some money. But, although Henry was ready to jump from a wagon +twenty feet high for a few pence, and would walk the streets of the +city twelve hours a day for money, he would not so disgrace himself +as to give that most precious of all things, his heart, for gold, +and so he told his parents. +</P> + +<P> +"I shall," said he, "marry my dear Agatha, or I shall never marry +any one. She is good, and gentle, and beautiful; and if I live, she +shall have money enough too, for I can and will earn it for her. I +shall work harder and better now than I ever did before, because I +shall be working for one whom I love so dearly." +</P> + +<P> +Henry's parents saw that it was in vain to oppose him, that it would +only drive him out of the house, and that they should thus lose him +and his work too; so they gave the matter up. +</P> + +<P> +From this time Henry worked more industriously, if possible, than +ever. He did the same for his father as before; but he contrived +also to find some hours in which he might work for himself +exclusively. All that he earned at these times he devoted to his new +and dearest friend. He would purchase with the money he earned some +pretty or comfortable thing to wear that she wished and had denied +herself; or sometimes he would get some nice thing for her to eat; +for she had delicate health, and but little appetite. +</P> + +<P> +After work was done in the shop, and the family had gone to bed, +Henry used to hasten to his dear Agatha, and pass two or three happy +hours with her. They both had fine voices, and many an hour they +would sing together, till they would forget the weariness of the +day, and the fact that they had nothing but their love for each +other to bless themselves with in this world. They worked harder, +they denied themselves more than ever, they were more careful to be +wise and good for the sake of each other; and so their love made +them better as well as happier. +</P> + +<P> +At last, when Henry was nineteen, his parents consented to his +marrying and bringing his wife home to their house. As there was no +money to spare, they could only have a very quiet wedding. They were +married with-out any parade or expense, and never were two +excellent beings happier than they. +</P> + +<P> +The young wife made herself very useful in her husband's family. She +worked very hard,—her husband thought harder than she ought to +work,—and he was anxious to be independent, and have a house of his +own, where he could take more care of her, and prevent her injuring +herself by labor. +</P> + +<P> +There was some money due his father in Bremen; and, after living at +home a year or so, Henry took his wife with him, and went there to +collect the money. +</P> + +<P> +There they lived two years, and there they suffered severely. They +were very poor, and they met with misfortunes. At last Henry's wife +and their two children took the small-pox; but they all lived and +got well, and their love for each other was only made more perfect +by suffering; for they learned patience and fortitude, and were +confirmed in what they both before believed, that they could bear +any trouble if they could share it together. +</P> + +<P> +At the end of the two years, they returned to Hamburg. During their +absence, Henry's mother had died, and his father had married a woman +who had a little property. +</P> + +<P> +Henry now felt no longer anxious about his family, and set up for +himself in the cane and whalebone business. He took a small house, +just big enough for his family, and they invited his wife's sister +to live with them and assist in the work. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was very desirous of setting up a cane and whalebone factory, +and doing business upon a larger scale, but had not the means to +obtain suitable machinery. He wanted a large boiler, but it was too +expensive, and he knew not what to do. Here his excellent character +was the cause of his success. A gentleman who had known him from the +time when he used to carry about dust sticks to sell came forward +and offered him a large boiler, and told him that he might pay for +it whenever he could conveniently. Henry accepted the kind offer, +and commenced business directly. +</P> + +<P> +His old customers all came to him, and in a short time he was able +to hire a man to help him. It was not long before he wanted another, +and then another man. Every thing prospered with him. He made money +fast. His business grew larger constantly. He did all sorts of work +in whalebone and cane; now he added ivory, umbrella sticks, keys for +pianos, canes, and whip handles, and made all sorts of things in +which these materials are used. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was so well acquainted with his business, so industrious and +faithful, was known to be so honest and just in his dealings, and +was so kind in his treatment of his workmen, that all who wanted +what he could supply went to him, and his success was very great. He +grew rich. It was not a great while before he was able to build a +large factory in the neighborhood of the city. +</P> + +<P> +The little pedler of dust sticks was now one of the richest men in +Hamburg. He had four hundred men in his employ, had a large house in +town, and another in the country. He was thus able to indulge his +love for nature. After a hard day's work, he could come home and +enjoy the beautiful sunset, and look at the moon and stars in the +evening, and hear the nightingale sing, and join with his Agatha in +the song of praise to the Giver of all good things. +</P> + +<P> +Henry did not, because he was rich, lead a lazy and selfish life. He +still worked with his own hands, and thus taught his workmen +himself, and made their work more easy and agreeable by his presence +as well as by his instructions. He was continually making +improvements in his business, inventing new things, and so keeping +up his reputation. He exported large quantities of the articles made +in his factory. Every year his business grew larger, and he gained +still higher reputation. +</P> + +<P> +Henry's fellow-citizens offered him some of the highest offices of +honor and profit which the city had to bestow; but he refused them. +The only ones he accepted were those that gave no pay. He was one of +the overseers of the poor, and was always one of the first to aid, +in any way he could, plans for the benefit of his suffering +fellow-beings. He gave money himself generously, but was very anxious +not to have his charities made public. +</P> + +<P> +He was one of the directors of the first railroad from Hamburg. +</P> + +<P> +He engaged all his workmen with reference to their character as well +as their capacity, and no one of them ever left him. He was their +best benefactor and friend. +</P> + +<P> +So lived this excellent man, as happy as he was good and useful, for +sixteen years with his dear wife; they had seven living children; +but, as I before told you, she had very delicate health, and it was +the will of God that these two loving hearts should be separated in +this world, as we hope, to meet in heaven to part no more. After +sixteen years of perfect love and joy, he parted with his dear +Agatha. +</P> + +<P> +Henry bore his sorrow meekly and patiently. He did not speak, he +could not weep; but life was never again the same thing to him; he +never parted for a moment with the memory of his loving and +dearly-beloved wife. He was then only thirty-five years old, but he +never married again; and when urged to take another wife, he always +replied, "I cannot marry again." He felt that he was married forever +to his dear Agatha. +</P> + +<P> +I must relate to you some of the beautiful things Henry's daughter +told me about her mother. Agatha had such a refined and beautiful +taste and manner that though, from her parents' poverty, she had not +had the benefit of an education, yet it was a common saying of the +many who knew her, that she would have graced a court. She never +said or did any thing that was not delicate and beautiful. Her +dress, even when they were very poor, had never a hole nor a spot. +She never allowed any rude or vulgar thing to be said in her +presence without expressing her displeasure. She was one of nature's +nobility. She lived and moved in beauty as well as in goodness. +</P> + +<P> +When she found she was dying, she asked her husband to leave the +room, and then asked a friend who was with her to pray silently, for +she would not distress her husband; and so she passed away without a +groan, calmly and sweetly, before he returned. An immense procession +of the people followed her to the grave, to express their admiration +of her character and their sorrow for her early death. There were in +Hamburg, at that time, two large churches, afterwards burned down at +the great fire, which had chimes of bells in their towers. These +bells played their solemn tones only when some person lamented by +the whole city died. These bells were rung at the funeral of Agatha. +</P> + +<P> +Henry, ever after his separation from her, would go, at the +anniversary of her birth and death, and take all his children and +grand-children with him to her grave. They carried wreaths and +bouquets of flowers, and laid them there; and he would sit down with +them and relate some anecdote about their mother. +</P> + +<P> +It is a custom with the people of Germany to strew flowers on the +graves of their friends. The burying ground was not far from the +street, and often unfeeling boys would steal these sacred flowers; +but not one was ever stolen from the grave of Agatha. +</P> + +<P> +The sister of whom we have before spoken, whom we will call also by +her Christian name, Catharine, loved her sister with the most +devoted love, and when Agatha was dying, promised her that she would +be a mother to her children, and never leave them till they were +able to take care of themselves. +</P> + +<P> +She kept her word. She refused many offers of marriage, which she +might have been disposed to accept, and was a true mother to her +sister's children, till they were all either married or old enough +not to want her care. Then, at the age of fifty, aunt Catharine +married a widower, who had three children, who wanted her care. +</P> + +<P> +From the time Henry lost his dear wife, he devoted himself not only +more than ever to his children, but also to the good of his workmen. +He sought in duty, in good works, for strength to bear his heavy +sorrow; so that death might not divide him from her he loved, but +that he might be fitting himself for an eternal union with her in +heaven. +</P> + +<P> +Henry never forgot that he had been obliged to work hard for a +living himself, and he also remembered what had been his greatest +trials in his days of poverty. He determined to save his workmen +from these sufferings as much as possible. +</P> + +<P> +He recollected and still felt the evils of a want of education. He +could never forget how with longing eyes he had used to look at +books, and what a joy it had been to him to go to school; and he +resolved that his children should be well instructed. The garden of +knowledge, that was so tempting to him, and that he was not allowed +to enter, he resolved should be open to them. He gave them the best +instructors he could find, and took care that they should be taught +every thing that would be useful to them—the modern languages, +music, drawing, history, &c. +</P> + +<P> +Henry had found the blessing of being able to labor skilfully with +his hands; so he insisted that all his children should learn how to +work with their own hands. +</P> + +<P> +"My daughters," he said, "in order to be good housewives, must know +how every thing ought to be done, and be able to do it. If they are +poor, this will save them from much misery, and secure them comfort +and respectability." +</P> + +<P> +He insisted that those of his sons who engaged in his business +should work with the workmen, wear the same dress, and do just as +they did; so that the boys might be independent of circumstances, +and have the security of a good living, come what would. Thus every +one of his children had the advantages which belong to poverty as +well as those of riches. Their father said to them, that if they +knew what work was, they would know what to require of those who +labored for them; that they would have more feeling for laborers, +and more respect for them. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was truly the friend of his workmen. He gave them time enough +to go to school. He encouraged temperance; he had a weak kind of +beer, made of herbs, for them to drink, so that they might not +desire spirit. He gave them, once a year, a handsome dinner, at +which he presided himself. He encouraged them to read, and helped +them to obtain books. He had a singing master, and took care that +every one who had a voice should be taught to sing. He bought a +pianoforte for them, and had it put in a room in the factory, where +any one, who had time, and wished to play, could go and play upon +it; and he gave them a music teacher. +</P> + +<P> +He did every thing he could to make their life beautiful and happy. +He induced them to save a small sum every week from their wages, as +a fund to be used when any one died, or was sick, or was married, or +wanted particular aid beyond what his wages afforded. +</P> + +<P> +Henry's factory was the abode of industry, temperance, and +cheerfulness. The workmen all loved him like a brother. It was his +great object to show them that labor was an honorable thing, and to +make laborers as happy as he thought they ought to be. +</P> + +<P> +Henry was much interested in all that related to the United States +of America; and he was very angry at our slavery. He felt that +slavery brought labor into discredit, and his heart ached for the +poor slaves, who are cut off from all knowledge, all improvement. +Nothing excited in him such a deep indignation, nothing awaked such +abhorrence in his heart, as the thought of a man's receiving the +services of another without making adequate compensation; or the +idea of any man exercising tyranny over his brother man. +</P> + +<P> +Henry's workmen were the happiest and best in Hamburg. They loved +their employer with their whole hearts; there was nothing they would +not do for him. When his factory had been established twenty-five +years, the workmen determined to have a jubilee on the occasion, and +to hold it on his birthday. They kept their intention a secret from +him till the day arrived; but they were obliged to tell his +children, who, they knew, would wish to make arrangements for +receiving them in such a way as their father would approve of, if he +knew of it. +</P> + +<P> +It was summer time; and on Henry's birthday, at seven o'clock in the +morning, (for they knew their friend was an early riser,) a strain +of grand and beautiful music broke the stillness of the early hour, +and a long procession of five hundred men was seen to wind around +the house. +</P> + +<P> +The musicians, playing upon their fine wind instruments, and dressed +very gayly, came first. Then came those of his workmen who had been +with him twenty-five years; then his clerks and book-keepers; then +followed his other workmen, and then all the boys who were employed +in his factory. All wore black coats, with a green bow pinned on the +breast. +</P> + +<P> +They drew up in a circle on the lawn before his house; and five old +men, who had been with him for twenty-five years, stood in the +centre, holding something which was wrapped up in the Hamburg flag. +Now all the musical instruments played a solemn, religious hymn. +Immediately after, the five hundred voices joined in singing it. +Never did a truer music rise to heaven than this; it was the music +of grateful, happy hearts. +</P> + +<P> +When the hymn was sung, the book-keeper came forward and made an +address to his master, in the name of them all. In this address they +told Henry how happy he had made them; how much good he had done +them; how sensible they were of his kindness to them, and how full +of gratitude their hearts were towards him. They expressed the hope +that they should live with him all their lives. +</P> + +<P> +Now the old men advanced, and uncovered what they bore in their +hands. It was a fine portrait of their benefactor, in a splendid +frame. The picture was surrounded on the margin by fine drawings, +arranged in a tasteful manner, of all the various articles which +were made in his factory, views of his warehouses in Hamburg, of the +factory in which they worked, of his house in town, of the one in +the country where they then were, and of the old exchange, where he +used to stand when he sold canes and dust sticks. Then the old men +presented to him the picture, saying only a few words of respectful +affection. +</P> + +<P> +The good man shed tears. He could not speak at first. At last he +said, that this was the first time in his life that he regretted +that he could not speak in public; that if he had ever done any +thing for them, that day more than repaid him for all. They then +gave him three cheers. They now sang a German national tune, to +words which had been written for the occasion. +</P> + +<P> +The children, who, as I told you, knew what was to happen, had +prepared a breakfast for these five hundred of their father's +friends. All the tables were spread in the garden behind the house, +and Henry desired that all the store rooms should be opened, and +that nothing should be spared. +</P> + +<P> +After an excellent breakfast, at which the children of the good man +waited, the procession marched around to the fine music; and the +workmen, having enjoyed themselves all the morning to their hearts' +content, went to partake of a dinner which the family had provided +for them in a large farm house. Here they sang, and laughed, and +told stories till about eight o'clock in the evening, when they +returned by railway to Hamburg, in a special train which the +railroad directors ordered, free of expense, out of respect for +Henry. The railroad was behind Henry's house, and as the workmen +passed, they waved their hats and cheered him and the family till +they were out of hearing. +</P> + +<P> +The picture I had so much admired was a copy of this very picture +which the workmen had presented. The original was hung up in Henry's +drawing room, as his most valuable possession. No wonder his +daughter felt proud of that picture, and loved to show her copy of +it to her friends. Near it hung a likeness of his dear Agatha. She +was very beautiful. It was a pleasant thing to hear the daughter +talk of her father and mother. +</P> + +<P> +Thus did Henry live a useful, honorable, and happy life—the natural +result of his industry, perseverance, uprightness, and true +benevolence. Like Ben Adhem, he had shown his love to God by his +love to man. +</P> + +<P> +One of Henry's sons had come to this country, to set up a cane and +whalebone factory in New York. The father had aided him as far as he +thought best, but urged him to depend as far as possible upon his +own industry and ability. +</P> + +<P> +This son followed his father's example, and was very successful; but +was obliged, on account of the bad effects of our climate upon his +health, to return to his native land. The father, who was anxious to +visit the United States, and wished much to see his daughter again, +who was particularly dear to him, determined to come, for a while, +in his son's place. Henry thought also that his health, which began +to fail, might be benefited by a sea voyage. +</P> + +<P> +One reason why he wished much to visit America was, that he might +see, with his own eyes, the position of the laboring classes in the +Free States. Of the Slave States he never could think with patience. +His daughter told me that the only time when she had seen her father +lose his self-command, was when a gentleman, just returned from the +West Indies, had defended slavery, and had said that the negroes +were only fit to be slaves. Henry's anger was irrepressible, and, +although it was at his own table, and he was remarkable for his +hospitality and politeness, he could not help showing his +indignation. +</P> + +<P> +Nothing could exceed his delight at what he saw in this part of our +country. The appearance every where of prosperity and comfort; the +cheerful look of our mechanics and laborers; their activity; the +freedom and joyousness of their manners,—all spoke to him of a +free, prosperous, and happy people. +</P> + +<P> +He was only, for any long time, in New York, where his son's factory +was, and in Massachusetts, where his daughter lived. Unhappily his +health did not improve. On the contrary, it failed almost daily. +Still he enjoyed himself much. While in this part of the country, he +took many drives around the environs of Boston with his daughter, +and expressed the greatest delight at the aspect of the country, +particularly at the appearance of the houses of the farmers and +mechanics. +</P> + +<P> +He found, when in the city of New York, that attention to business +was too much for his strength; so he resolved to travel. "Nature," +he said, "will cure me; I will go to Niagara." +</P> + +<P> +He brought with him, as a companion and nurse, his youngest son, a +lad of fifteen years of age. The boy went every where with him. When +they arrived at Niagara, Henry would not go to the Falls with any +other visitors; he only allowed his son to accompany him. When he +first saw this glorious wonder of our western world, he fell on his +knees and wept; he could not contain his emotion. He was a true +worshipper of Nature, and he courted her healing influences; but he +only found still greater peace and health of mind; his bodily health +did not return. +</P> + +<P> +His daughter, who, like all Germans, held a festival every +Christmas, wrote to urge him to pass his Christmas with her at her +Massachusetts home; he was then in New York. He replied that he was +too ill to bear the journey at that season. The pleasure of the +thought of her Christmas evening was gone; but she determined to +make it as pleasant as she could to her husband and children, though +her thoughts and her heart were with her sick father. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning, however, a telegraphic message arrived from her +father, saying he would be with them at eight o'clock in the +evening. +</P> + +<P> +With the Germans, the whole family make presents to each other, no +matter how trifling; but some little present every one receives. +Henry's little granddaughter was dressed in a style as fairy-like as +possible, and presented her grandfather with a basket of such fruits +as the season would allow of, as the most appropriate present for a +lover of Nature. A very happy evening the good man had with his +children. +</P> + +<P> +He was forced to return to New York. It was not many months after +that his daughter heard that he was very ill at Oyster Bay, where he +had gone to a water cure establishment. She went immediately to him, +and remained with him, nursing him, and reading to him, till he was +better, though not well. +</P> + +<P> +During this period, when he was able to bear the fatigue, his +daughter drove him in a gig round the neighboring country; and she +told me that such was his interest in the laborers, that he would +never pass one without stopping, and asking him questions about his +mode of working, &c. He could not speak English; but she was the +interpreter. +</P> + +<P> +At last he insisted upon his daughter's returning to her family. +There was something so solemn, so repressed, in his manner, when he +took leave of her, that she was afterwards convinced that he knew he +should never see her again; but he said not a word of the kind. +</P> + +<P> +His health grew worse; his strength failed daily; and he determined +to return to Germany, so as to die in his native land. He wrote to +his daughter, to ask her, as a proof of her love for him, not to +come to say farewell. She was ill at the time, and submitted with a +sad and aching heart. +</P> + +<P> +She had seen her dear, excellent father for the last time. He lived +to arrive in Hamburg. His workmen, when they heard of his arrival, +went to the vessel, and bore him in their arms to his country house, +where he died eight days afterwards. +</P> + +<P> +He showed his strong and deep love of nature in these his last +hours; for when he was so weak as to be apparently unconscious of +the presence of those he loved, he begged to be carried into his +garden, that he might hear the birds sing, and look upon his flowers +once more. +</P> + +<P> +When he knew he was breathing his last, he said to his children who +were standing around his bed, "Be useful, and love one another." +</P> + +<P> +His death was considered a public calamity in Hamburg. His workmen +felt that they had lost their benefactor and brother. His children +knew that life could never give them another such friend. +</P> + +<P> +His body was placed in the great hall, in his country house, and +surrounded by orange trees in full bloom. Flowers he loved to the +very last; and flowers shed their perfume over the mortal garment of +his great and beautiful soul. One after another, his workmen and his +other friends came and looked at his sweet and noble countenance, +and took a last farewell. +</P> + +<P> +In Germany, when a distinguished man dies, he is carried to the +grave on an elevated hearse decorated with black feathers and all +the trappings of woe; but Henry's workmen insisted upon carrying +their benefactor and friend to his last home in their arms. Their +sorrowing hearts were the truest mourning, the only pomp and +circumstance worthy of the occasion; and their streaming eyes were +the modest and unobtrusive, but most deeply affecting, pageant of +that day. All the inhabitants followed him, with mourning in their +hearts. Remembering Henry's love for flowers, his fellow-citizens +made arches of flowers in three places for his mortal remains to +pass under, as the most appropriate testimonial of their love. The +public officers all followed him to the grave, and the military paid +him appropriate honors. Three different addresses were delivered +over his body by distinguished speakers, and then hundreds and +hundreds of voices joined in singing a hymn to his praise written by +a friend. +</P> + +<P> +Henry made such an arrangement of his business, and left such +directions about it, as to make sure that his workmen should, if +they wished it, have employment in his factory for ten years to +come. He divided his property equally amongst his children, and +bequeathed to them all his charities, which were not few, saying +that he knew that his children would do as he had done, and that +these duties would be sacred with them. +</P> + +<P> +Such a life needs no comment. Its eloquence, its immortal power, is +its truth, its reality. +</P> + +<P> +Among the many beautiful things that were written in honor of Henry, +I have translated these as peculiarly simple and just. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="grave"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"ON THE GRAVE OF THE GOOD, GREAT MAN." +</H3> + +<P> +"Henry—, a MAN in the best sense of the term, strong in body and +soul, with a heart full of the noblest purposes, which he carried +out into action, without show and with a child-like mind." +</P> + +<P> +"To the great Giver of all things thankful for the smallest gift. To +his family a devoted father. To his friends a faithful friend. To +the state a useful citizen. To the poor a benefactor. To the dying a +worthy example." +</P> + +<P> +"Why was this power broken in the prime of life? Why were the wings +of this diligent spirit clipped? Why were stopped the beatings of +this heart, which beat for all created things? Sad questions, which +can only find an answer in the assurance that all which God wills +for us is good." +</P> + +<P> +"Peace be with thee, friend and brother! We can never forget thee." +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Around their father's grave the children stand,<BR> + And mourning friends are shedding bitter tears;<BR> + With sorrowing faces men are standing here,<BR> + Whose tender love did bear him in their arms<BR> + In sickness once, and now once more in death,<BR> + Him who protector, friend, and helper was;<BR> + And many eyes whose tears he wiped away,<BR> + Are weeping at his narrow house to-day.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + When the frail vestments of the soul<BR> + Are hidden in the tomb, what then remains to man?<BR> + The memory of his deeds is ours.<BR> + O sacred death, then, like the flowers of spring,<BR> + Many good deeds are brought to light.<BR> + Blessed and full of love, good children<BR> + And true friends stand at his grave,<BR> + And there with truth loudly declare,<BR> + "A noble soul has gone to heaven;<BR> + Rich seed has borne celestial fruit;<BR> + His whole day's work now in God is done."<BR> + Thus speak we now over thy grave,<BR> + Our friend, now glorified and living in our hearts.<BR> + A lasting monument thou thyself hast built<BR> + In every heart which thy great worth has known.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Yes, more than marble or than brass, our love<BR> + Shall honor thee, who dwellest in our hearts.<BR> + These tears, which pure love consecrates to thee,<BR> + Thou noble man, whom God has called away<BR> + From work which He himself has blessed,—<BR> + These grateful tears shall fall upon the tomb<BR> + That hides the earthly garment of our friend.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + O, let us ne'er forget the firm and earnest mind<BR> + Which bore him swiftly onward in his course;<BR> + How from a slender twig he built a bridge<BR> + O'er which he safely hastened to the work<BR> + Which youthful hope and courage planned.<BR> + Think how the circle of his love embraced<BR> + His children and his children's children, all,<BR> + His highest joy their happiness and good.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Think how he labored for the good of all,<BR> + Supporter, benefactor, faithful friend!<BR> + How with his wise and powerful mind<BR> + He served and blessed his native place!<BR> + His works remain to speak his praise.<BR> + How did his generous, noble spirit glow<BR> + With joy at all the good and beautiful<BR> + Which time and human skill brought forth!<BR> + He ever did the standard gladly gain<BR> + Which light, and truth, and justice raised;<BR> + And when his noble efforts seemed to fail,<BR> + Found ever in his pure and quiet breast a sweet repose.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + We give to-day thy dust to dust.<BR> + Thy spirit, thy true being, is with us.<BR> + Thou art not dead; thou art already risen.<BR> + Loved friend, thou livest, and thou watchest o'er us still.<BR> + Be dry our tears; be hushed our sighs;<BR> + Victor o'er death, our friend still lives;<BR> + Takes his reward from the Great Master's band.<BR> + Deep night has passed away. On him<BR> + Eternal morning breaks. He,<BR> + From the dark chamber of the grave,<BR> + Goes to the light of the All-holy One.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Weep, weep no more! Look up with hope on high!<BR> + There does he dwell. He liveth too on earth.<BR> + The Master who has called him hence to higher work,<BR> + To-morrow will call us—perhaps to-day.<BR> + Then shall we see him once again. He, who went home<BR> + From earth in weakness and in pain,<BR> + Is risen there in everlasting joy and strength.<BR> + Till then we here resolve to live like him,<BR> + That we, like him, may die religious, true, and free.<BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When any little boy reads this true story of a good, great man, I +would have him remember that Henry began to be a good, great man +when only eight years old. Henry began by being industrious, +patient, and good humored, so that people liked to buy his sticks. +Then he was faithful and true to his father, and would not leave +him, not even for the sake of gaining some advantages. Henry used +all his faculties, and, by making his pretty canes, he got money, +not to buy sugar plums, but to pay for instruction. When he did +wrong, he took his punishment cheerfully, and did not commit the +same fault again. All the virtues which finally made him a good, +great man he began to practise when he was only eight years of age, +when he was really a little boy. +</P> + +<P> +I would have every little boy and girl who reads this story try to +imitate him. If he is poor, let him learn to do something useful, so +to earn money that may help his father and mother, and perhaps be +the means of giving him a better education. If he is rich, let him +seek to get knowledge, and let him remember those who have not as +much as he has, like little Eva, who taught Uncle Tom. Let him +remember that the selfish and the lazy cannot be truly happy; that +selfishness is its own punishment in the end; that no children and +no men are truly happy or truly good who do not obey the words of +the noble-minded Henry on his death-bed— +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "Be useful, and love one another"<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="deeds"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE MIGHTY DEEDS OF ABC. +</H3> + +<H4> +A LETTER TO A LITTLE BOY FROM HIS AUNT. +</H4> + +<P> +MY DEAR FRANK: I was much pleased with your writing me a letter. If +you were to take a piece of paper, and do up some sugar plums in it, +and send it to me, I should eat up the sugar plums, and then there +would be nothing left but the piece of white paper; but if you take +a piece of paper, and mark on it with a pen some crooked and some +straight, some round and some long strokes, they tell me, though +they make no noise, that you love me, and they seem just like little +messengers from you to me, all with something to tell me of my dear +little Frank. +</P> + +<P> +Besides, after these messengers have spoken once, there they stand +ready to speak again as soon as I only look at them, and tell me the +same pleasant story the second time that they did the first. +</P> + +<P> +If I were to put them away in a safe place for forty years, and then +look at them, when you were beginning to be an old man, these +crooked scratches of your pen would still talk to me of little +Frank, as he was when I held him in my lap, and we used to laugh, +and talk, and tell stories together. +</P> + +<P> +Think, then, my dear Frank, how much better it is to be able to fill +a letter with these curious strokes to send to a friend than to have +bushels of sugar plums to send him. +</P> + +<P> +Did you ever think what curious things these little letters are? You +know the great Bible that you love to look at so much, and to hear +father read from. All the wonderful things related in it are told by +twenty-six little letters. +</P> + +<P> +It is they that tell you of the creation of the world, of the +beautiful garden called Eden in which Adam and Eve lived; they tell +you the sad story of their disobedience to God, and of their being +turned out of paradise. +</P> + +<P> +Then they tell you all about the Israelites, or Jews, as we call +them. In the same book, these twenty-six letters place themselves a +little differently, and tell you the story of Joseph and his +brethren that you were so much pleased with when your father read it +to you, and that of David and Goliath, that you like so much. +</P> + +<P> +Then these same wonderful story tellers relate to you the beautiful +history of Daniel; of that courageous, good man who chose rather to +be torn to pieces by wild beasts than not to pray every day to God, +and thank Him for His goodness; and how God preserved him in the +lion's den. +</P> + +<P> +The wonderful story of Elijah they also tell you, and many others. +</P> + +<P> +But last and most interesting and wonderful of all, my dear little +Frank, is the story of Jesus Christ and his friends called the +apostles. +</P> + +<P> +These little letters have never told such a beautiful and affecting +story as they tell you of that pure and spotless Being who was sent +by God to teach us our duty, and to show us the way to be happy +forever. +</P> + +<P> +No being ever existed on this earth who showed so much love and +tenderness, so much goodness and humility, so much wisdom and power +as did Jesus Christ. +</P> + +<P> +There, in that best of books, stand these little messengers, as I +call them, still speaking the very words of the blessed Saviour; +ready to comfort the poor and sorrowful; to teach patience and hope +to the sick; to instruct the ignorant; to reprove the wicked; and +inviting little children to come to his arms and receive his +blessing. +</P> + +<P> +Do you not want to know all that they can tell you of this great and +good Being? +</P> + +<P> +I could write you, my dear Frank, a letter so long that I fear you +would be tired of reading it, about these same wonderful little +figures; but now I dare say that you will think more of them +yourself, and that the little book with the corners rolled up which +contains your ABC will be more respectable in your sight. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps you will, after thinking some time, ask who invented these +wonderful letters; and then, if you do really want to know, your +father will tell you all that is known about it, or, at least, all +that you can remember and understand. When you are old enough to +read about the history of letters, you will find books which will +make you laugh by telling you that there was a time when, if you +wanted to write "a man," you would have been obliged to draw the +picture of a man; and, as there was then no paper like ours, you +would have been obliged to take a piece of wood or bark to make the +drawing on; and so the same with every thing else. +</P> + +<P> +So you see, if you and I had lived at that time, and you had written +to me about your dog, your pleasant ride and the other things that +were in your letter, you would perhaps have been obliged to get a +man to bring me the letter, it would have been so clumsy, instead of +bringing it yourself, folded neatly in your nice little pocket book; +and as for my letter, only think how much room it would have taken +up. +</P> + +<P> +You will say, "Why, aunt, letters are not only better than sugar +plums, they are better than dollars." +</P> + +<P> +Indeed they are, my dear Frank. The knowledge that they can give, +the blessing they can bestow, is better and more valuable than all +the silver and gold in the whole world; for they can teach us what +is wisdom and happiness; they can teach us the will of God. +</P> + +<P> +I love to think, too, of what pleasant messages they can carry +backwards and forwards between friends, and that in a few hours +these curious, handy little things will appear before you, my dear +little Frank, and tell you what I have just been thinking about, and +that I always love you, and am ever +</P> + +<P> +Your affectionate AUNT. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="day"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WHAT DAY IS IT? +</H3> + +<P> +It is so still that, although it is midday, one can hear the sound +of the soft spring shower as it falls on the young and tender +leaves. +</P> + +<P> +The crowing of the cock pierces the ear with his shrill note, as in +the silent watches of the night. The song of the wren is so +undisturbed, it is so full, and is heard so distinctly that it only +reminds one, with its sweet music, how unusual is the silence; it +does indeed seem but the "echo of tranquillity." +</P> + +<P> +There are many people in the streets, but they have a different +appearance from usual; they are all dressed in their holiday +garments; they look happy, but they are very calm and serious. The +gentle shower does not seem to disturb them; it only affords an +opportunity for reciprocal kindness. +</P> + +<P> +I see a venerable-looking old lady who from infirmity is obliged to +walk very slowly. She is supported by a bright, rosy-cheeked girl +who holds up the umbrella, and keeps back her light and joyous step +to the slow time of her aged companion. +</P> + +<P> +An elegant-looking woman is leading, with great care and tenderness, +a little girl through the mud. The lady puts her umbrella so low +that the rain is kept from the child, but it falls upon her own gay +clothes. The little girl must be that lady's daughter. But see! they +stop at the door of yonder miserable-looking house. The lady cannot +live there, surely. She gives the child a little book. The little +girl enters alone. I see her now in the house. She is the daughter +of the poor, sick woman who lives there. +</P> + +<P> +There is a trembling old man tottering along: he looks a little like +Tipsy David, as the boys call him; but he has on a clean and +respectable suit of black, and a weed on his hat; he is quite sober, +but it is David; and one of the very boys that have laughed at and +abused him when intoxicated, now respectfully offers him an +umbrella. +</P> + +<P> +A fashionable young man is gallanting a lady with the greatest care +and most delicate respect; she must be his sister, or the lady he is +engaged to marry, he is so careful to shelter her from every drop of +rain. No, I see her enter her door; it is my good neighbor, Miss—; +she is one of the excellent of the earth, but she is poor, old and +forsaken by all but the few who seek for those whom others forget. +She has no beauty, no celebrity; there is no eclat in noticing her; +there are those who will even laugh at him for his attention to her. +</P> + +<P> +Stranger than all, there are two men, violent opponents in religion +and politics, walking arm in arm with each other. The Calvinist +extends to him whom he considers his erring brother a kindness as if +to a dear friend; for the Universalist is sick, and the Calvinist +tries to protect him from the shower while exposing himself; see, he +takes off his own cloak and puts it on him. +</P> + +<P> +What does all this mean? Whence is this holy stillness? What day is +it? +</P> + +<P> +It is the Lord's day! All these people are returning from the house +of prayer. It is this thought that makes the laughing girl restrain +her gayety, and teach her steps to keep time with her infirm old +friend. +</P> + +<P> +The sinful old man abstains from his vicious habit out of reverence +for this holy day; he has lost his son too; and sorrow and the +weight of an evil conscience have driven him to the mercy seat; and +they who despised his drunkenness respect his misery. +</P> + +<P> +The lady who led the little child so tenderly to its poor mother's +door is a teacher in the Sunday school; the book she gave tells of +the wisdom and goodness of God; she has awakened in her little +pupil's soul that princi-pie which shall never die, and taught her +to be a messenger of peace and joy to her poor, sick mother. +</P> + +<P> +It is the influence of this blessed day that makes the usually +frivolous and thoughtless prefer a work of charity to the +gratification of vanity. +</P> + +<P> +It is the Sabbath day, with its calm and elevated duties and holy +repose, that subdues animosity, lays the restless spirit of vanity, +checks habitual vice, and awakens all the charities and sweet +courtesies of life. +</P> + +<P> +This is the true rest of the Sabbath; the rest from vanity, from +contention, from sin. This is the true preaching, the practice of +Christian duties, the performance of works of love, the exercise of +the holiest affections of our nature. This is the true service of +God; doing good to His human family. This is the true knowledge of +Him, "that we love one another." +</P> + +<P> +Doubtless the instructions from the pulpit do, in many instances, +enlighten the ignorant, quicken the languid and the cold-hearted, +and alarm or persuade the sinful and the erring; and, on this +account alone, the day is a great good, and should be welcomed. +However, were any one doubtful of the blessing that attends it, I +would not reason with him, but I would, if it were possible, lead +him, when he knew not what day it was, where he could witness, as I +have, such a scene as I have just described; and when he exclaimed, +"What does it all mean? What day is it?" I would simply answer, "It +is the Sabbath day." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="child"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE CHILD AT HER MOTHER'S GRAVE. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +[TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.] +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + In that little room of thine<BR> + Sweet sleep has come to thee.<BR> + Ah, mother! dearest mother mine!<BR> + O, call me to that room of thine;<BR> + O, shut it not from me.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + I would so gladly be with thee,<BR> + And be thy child again.<BR> + 'Tis cold and stormy here with me.<BR> + Tis warm, and O, so still with thee.<BR> + O, let me, let me in.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Thou took'st me gladly once with thee,<BR> + So gladly held'st my hand!<BR> + O, see! thou hast forsaken me.<BR> + Take me, this time, again with thee<BR> + Into the heavenly land.<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="prayer"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +EVENING PRAYER. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Thou, from whom we never part;<BR> + Thou, whose love is every where;<BR> + Thou, who seest every heart,<BR> + Listen to our evening prayer.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Father, fill our souls with love;<BR> + Love unfailing, full, and free;<BR> + Love no injury can move;<BR> + Love that ever rests on thee.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Heavenly Father, through the night<BR> + Keep us safe from every ill.<BR> + Cheerful as the morning light,<BR> + May we wake to do thy will.<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="sabbath"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SABBATH IS HERE. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +[FROM KRUMACHER.] +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + The Sabbath is here. It is sent us from Heaven.<BR> + Rest, rest, toilsome life.<BR> + Be silent all strife.<BR> + Let us stop on our way,<BR> + And give thanks, and pray<BR> + To Him who all things has given.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + The Sabbath is here. To the fields let us go.<BR> + How fresh and how fair,<BR> + In the still morning air,<BR> + The bright golden grain<BR> + Waves over the plain!<BR> + It is God who doth all this bestow.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + The Sabbath is here. On this blessed morn,<BR> + No tired ox moans,<BR> + No creaking wheel groans.<BR> + At rest is the plough.<BR> + No noise is heard now,<BR> + Save the sound of the rustling corn.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + The Sabbath is here. Our seed we have sown,<BR> + In hope and in faith.<BR> + The Father He saith<BR> + Amen! Be it so!<BR> + Behold the corn grow!<BR> + Rejoicing his goodness we'll own.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + The Sabbath is here. His love we will sing,<BR> + Who sendeth the rain<BR> + Upon the young grain.<BR> + Full soon all around<BR> + The sickle will sound,<BR> + And home the bright sheaves we will bring<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + The Sabbath is here. In hope and in love,<BR> + We sow in the dust,<BR> + While humbly we trust,<BR> + Up yonder, shall grow<BR> + The seed which we sow,<BR> + And bloom a bright garland above.<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="butterfly"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TO A BUTTERFLY. +</H3> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +[FREE TRANSLATION FROM HERDER.] +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Airy, lovely, heavenly thing!<BR> + Butterfly with quivering wing!<BR> + Hovering, in thy transient hour,<BR> + Over every bush and flower,<BR> + Feasting upon flowers and dew,<BR> + Thyself a brilliant blossom too.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Who, with rosy fingers fine,<BR> + Purpled o'er those wings of thine?<BR> + Was it some sylph whose tender care<BR> + Spangled thy robes so fine and fair,<BR> + And wove them of the morning air?<BR> + I feel thy little throbbing heart.<BR> + Thou fear'st, e'en now, death's bitter smart<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Fly little spirit, fly away!<BR> + Be free and joyful, thy short day!<BR> + Image, thou dost seem to me,<BR> + Of that which I may, one day, be,<BR> + When I shall drop this robe of earth,<BR> + And wake into a spirit's birth.<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS *** + +***** This file should be named 4040-h.htm or 4040-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/4/4040/ + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</BODY> + +</HTML> + + diff --git a/4040.txt b/4040.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5dcf452 --- /dev/null +++ b/4040.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1751 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Pedler of Dust Sticks + +Author: Eliza Lee Follen + +Posting Date: June 11, 2009 [EBook #4040] +Release Date: May 2003, +First Posted: October 19, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + +THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS + + +BY + +MRS. FOLLEN + + + +With illustrations by Billings + + + +CONTENTS + + THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS. + "ON THE GRAVE OF THE GOOD, GREAT MAN." + THE MIGHTY DEEDS OF ABC. + WHAT DAY IS IT? + THE CHILD AT HER MOTHER'S GRAVE. + EVENING PRAYER. + THE SABBATH IS HERE. + TO A BUTTERFLY. + + + + +THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS. + + +One day I went to visit a friend, a lady, who came from Hamburg, in +Germany. I was much pleased with a portrait which was hanging up in +her room, and I was particularly struck by the ornamental drawings +with which the picture was surrounded. They consisted of whip +handles, canes, piano keys, mouth-pieces for wind instruments, all +sorts of umbrellas, and many more things, of every sort, made of +cane and whalebone. The arrangement was so ingenious, the designs so +fanciful, and the execution so good, that nothing could be prettier. +But what of course was of the most importance, was the face and head +that they were meant to ornament. "What a benevolent, what a +beautiful face!" I said. "Who is it?" + +"My father," the lady replied; "and he is more beautiful than the +picture, and he is still more kind than he looks there." + +"What is the meaning of all these bits of bamboo and these little +canes, so fancifully arranged around the picture?" I asked. + +"These little sticks," she replied, "tell the story of my father's +success, and of the beginning of his greatness. He began his noble +and honorable life as a little Pedler of Dust Sticks." + +"Pedler of Dust Sticks?" + +"Yes," she said; "if you would like to hear his history, I will +relate it." + +I replied that nothing could please me better; that I considered the +life of a good, great man the most beautiful of all stories. + +"I will tell it to you just as it was; and you may, if you please, +repeat it for the benefit of any one." + +When I had returned home I wrote the story down, just as I +remembered it, as she had given me leave to do. + +The Christian name of our hero was Henry, and so we will call him. +His parents lived in Hamburg, in Germany. They were very poor. His +father was a cabinet maker, with a very small business. Henry was +the second of eight children. As soon as he was eight years old, his +father, in order to raise a few more shillings to support his +family, sent him into the streets to sell little pieces of ratan, +which the people there use to beat the dust out of their clothes. + +Henry got about a cent and a half apiece for the sticks. If he sold +a great number of these little sticks, he was allowed, as a reward, +to go to an evening school, where he could learn to read. This was a +great pleasure to him; but he wanted also to learn to write. For +this, however, something extra was to be paid, and Henry was very +anxious to earn more, that he might have this advantage. + +There is a fine public walk in Hamburg, where the fashionable people +go, in good weather, to see and be seen; and where the young men go +to wait upon and see the ladies. These gentlemen were fond of having +little canes in their hands, to play with, to switch their boots +with, and to show the young ladies how gracefully they could move +their arms; and sometimes to write names in the sand. So little +Henry thought of making some very pretty canes, and selling them to +these young beaux. + +He soaked his canes for a long time in warm water, and bent the tops +round for a handle, and then ornamented them with his penknife, and +made them really very pretty. Then he went to the public walk, and +when he saw a young man walking alone, he went up to him, and with a +sweet and pleasant voice, he would say, "Will you buy a pretty cane, +sir? Six cents apiece." + +Almost every gentleman took one of the canes. + +With the money he got for his canes he was able to pay for lessons +in writing. This made him very happy, for it was the reward of his +own industry and ingenuity. + +As soon as Henry was old enough, his father employed him to carry +home the work to customers. The boy had such a beautiful +countenance, was so intelligent, and had such a pleasant manner, +that many of the customers wanted to have him come and live with +them, and promised to take good care of him; but Henry always said, +"No, I prefer staying with my father, and helping him." + +Every day the little fellow would take his bundle of dust sticks and +little canes in a box he had for the purpose, and walk up and down +the streets, offering them to every one who he thought would buy +them. And happy enough was he when he sold them all and brought home +the money to his poor father, who found it so hard to support a +large family. + +All the evenings when Henry was not so happy as to go to school, he +worked as long as he could keep his eyes open. + +He was very skilful, and made his canes so pretty, and he was such a +good boy, that he made many friends, and almost always found a good +market for his sticks. + +The poor fellow was very anxious to get money. Often his father's +customers gave him a few pence. Once he came near risking his life +to obtain a small sum. He was very strong and active, and excelled +in all the common exercises of boys; such as running, jumping, &c. +One day he got up on the top of a very high baggage wagon, and +called to the boys below, and asked them how many pence they would +give him if he would jump off of it to the ground. Some one offered +two. + +"Two are too few to risk my life for," he replied. + +They then promised to double the number; and he was upon the point +of jumping, when he felt a smart slap on his back. + +"That's what you shall have for risking your life for a few pence," +said his father, who, unobserved by Henry, had heard what had +passed, and climbed up the wagon just in time to save Henry from +perhaps breaking his neck, or at least some of his limbs. + +Henry was very fond of skating, but he had no skates. One day, when +the weather and ice were fine, he went to see the skaters. He had +only a few pence in his pocket, and he offered them for the use of a +pair of skates for a little while; but the person who had skates to +let could get more for them, and so he refused poor Henry. There was +near by, at the time, a man whose profession was gambling; and he +said to Henry, "I will show you a way by which you can double and +triple your money, if you will come with me." + +Henry followed him to a little booth, in which was a table and some +chairs; and there the man taught him a gambling game, by which, in a +few minutes, he won a dollar. + +Henry was going away with his money, thinking with delight of the +pleasure he should have in skating, and also of the money that would +be left to carry home to his poor father, when the gambler said to +him, "You foolish boy, why won't you play longer, and double your +dollar? You may as well have two or three dollars as one." + +Henry played again, and lost not only what he had won, but the few +pence he had when he came upon the ice. + +Henry was fortunate enough that day, after this occurrence, to sell +a few pretty canes, and so had some money to carry to his father; +but still he went home with a heavy heart, for he knew that he had +done a very foolish thing. + +He had learned, by this most fortunate ill luck, what gambling was; +and he made a resolution then, which he faithfully kept through his +whole after life, never to allow any poverty, any temptation +whatever, to induce him to gamble. + +Henry continually improved in his manufacture of canes, and he often +succeeded in getting money enough to pay for his writing lessons. + +There were Jews in the city, who sold canes as he did, and he would +often make an exchange with them; even if they insisted upon having +two or three of his for one of theirs; he would consent to the +bargain, when he could get from them a pretty cane; and then he +would carry it home, and imitate it, so that his canes were much +admired; and the little fellow gained customers and friends too +every day. + +The bad boys in the city he would have nothing to do with; he +treated them civilly, but he did not play with them, nor have them +for his friends. He could not take pleasure in their society. + +Henry was a great lover of nature. He spent much of his life out in +the open air, under the blue skies; and he did not fail to notice +what a grand and beautiful roof there was over his head. The clouds +by day, the stars by night, were a continued delight to him. The +warm sunshine in winter, and the cool shade of the trees in summer, +he enjoyed more than many a rich boy does the splendid furniture and +pictures in his father's house. + +One beautiful summer afternoon he was going, with his canes on his +shoulder, through the public promenade on the banks of the little +bay around which was the public walk. The waves looked so blue, and +the air was so delicious, that he was resolved he would treat +himself to a row upon the sparkling waters; so he hired a little +boat, and then got some long branches from the trees on the shore, +and stuck them all around the edges of his boat, and tied them +together by their tops, so as to make an arbor in the boat, and got +in and rowed himself about, whistling all the tunes he knew for his +music, to his heart's content. He went alone, for he had no +companion that he liked; and he would have none other. + +At last what should he see but his father, walking on the bank. + +Henry knew that his father would be very angry with him, for he was +a severe man; but he determined to bear his punishment, let it be +what it would, patiently; for he knew, when he went, that his father +would not like it; and yet he said, in telling this story to a +friend, "I was so happy, and this pleasure was so innocent, that I +could not feel as sorry as I ought to feel." + +Henry bore his punishment like a brave boy. + +It was too bad for the poor fellow to have no pleasures; nothing but +work all the time. This was especially hard for him, for no one +loved amusement better than he. + +He relished a piece of fun exceedingly. In the city of Hamburg there +was a place where young girls were always to be seen with flowers in +their hands to sell. He had observed that the Jews, of whom he +bought the pretty canes, were often rude to them, and he determined +to punish some of them. There was one who wore a wig, with a long +queue to it. The girls had their long hair braided and left hanging +down behind. + +One day this man was sitting in this flower market, with his back to +one of these girls, and Henry took the opportunity, and before +either knew what he did, he tied the two queues together; the young +girl happened not to like her seat very well, and got up rather +suddenly to change it, and off she went with the Jew's wig dangling +behind her, much to the amusement of the spectators, and especially +of Henry, who saw and enjoyed it all highly, though pretending to be +very busy selling a cane to a gentleman, who joined in the general +laugh. + +Lucky it was for Henry that the Jew did not discover who it was that +had played this roguish trick. + +Henry saw how difficult it was for his father to support the family, +and was very earnest to get money in any honest way. One day the +managers of a theatre hired him to take part in a play, where they +wanted to make a crowd. He was pleased at the thought of making some +money to carry home; but when he went behind the scenes, and saw all +that the actors did, he ran away and left them, caring not for the +money, so he could but get away from such disgusting things. + +Thus did Henry live, working from early morning till night, going to +school with a little of the money he had earned, when his father +would allow him to take it; keeping himself unstained by the +wickedness that he often saw and heard in his walks through the +city; observing every thing worth noticing, and making friends every +where by his honesty, purity, and kind-heartedness. + +At this time the French were in Hamburg, provisions were dearer than +ever, and Henry's father, with all the help he received from his +son, could not support his family in the city. + +One day he called Henry, and said, "Do you think you could support +your mother and younger sister and brother in some other place?" +Henry replied directly, "Yes, dear father, I can; at least, I will +try." So his father sent him with this part of his family to a +cheaper place, about fifty miles inland. He gave him five dollars +and his blessing, as they parted. + +Here was our friend Henry in a strange town, a small place, with no +friends there, but just fifteen years old, and with his mother, and +brother, and sister depending upon him for their daily bread. + +Henry was a brave boy; so he did not allow himself to fear. With his +five dollars he secured small, cheap rooms for a week, bought some +bread and milk for the family, and after a good night's sleep set +out, the next morning, to obtain work. He went into the street, and +after a while read upon a sign, "Furniture varnished." He went into +the shop and asked for work. The man asked him if he could varnish +well. Henry replied, "Yes, I can." He was very skilful, and he had +varnished his canes sometimes, and he felt sure he could. + +"You came from Hamburg?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Perhaps you know some new and better way than we have of +varnishing?" + +"What method do you take?" asked Henry. + +The man told him. + +Here Henry's habit of observing was the means of his getting bread +for himself and family. He had noticed a new and better way that +varnishers employed in Hamburg, and though he had not tried it with +his own hands, he was sure he could imitate what he had seen. He +said that he knew a better way. The man engaged him for a week, and +was much pleased with his work; he did not want him long, but gave +him a recommendation when he parted with him. + +After this Henry went to the baker of whom he had bought bread for +the family, and asked him for employment. The baker told him he +wanted his house painted, and asked him if he could do it. + +"Yes," said Henry, "I can do it well, I know." + +The baker liked him very much, and gave him the job without any +hesitation. + +The baker's apprentices had noticed what a good fellow Henry was, +and would often give him, in addition to the loaf for the family, +some nice cakes to carry home. So he was, as you see, now working +among friends. + +Henry had never painted before; but he had observed painters at +their work, and he did it well. He soon became known to all the +people of the town, and made many friends. He was never idle. He +made canes when he had no other work. He varnished, or painted, or +did anything that he could get to do, and supported the whole family +comfortably for two years. + +At the end of this time, his father sent to him to bring the family +home to Hamburg. Henry left without a single debt, and in the place +of the five dollars carried home ten to his father. + +I must tell you of a piece of Henry's economy and self-denial. He +grew very fast, and his boots became too small for him. While he was +getting every thing comfortable for others, he denied himself a pair +of new boots, and used to oil the old ones every time he put them +on, so as to be able to get his feet into them, and never complained +of the pain. + +Our hero--for I am sure he was a true hero--was now seventeen. The +French had left Hamburg when he returned, but it was still necessary +to have a body of soldiers to protect it, and he joined a corps of +young men. They made him distributer of provisions. His office was +one given only to those known to be honest and worthy of confidence. +The citizens began even then to show their respect for the little +pedler of dust sticks and canes. We shall see what he was yet to be. + +Henry returned to cane-making, to which he and his father soon added +work in whalebone. They were pretty successful, but, as they had +very little money to purchase stock and tools, could not make a +great business. + +It was about this time that Henry became acquainted with one who was +to form the greatest happiness of his life. There was a poor girl in +Hamburg who was a seamstress, and who not only supported herself but +her mother by her needle. Her name was Agatha. She had a lovely face +and very engaging manners; her character was still more lovely than +her face; and she had only these to recommend her, for she was very +poor. Henry became strongly attached to her, and she soon returned +his love. + +Henry's father and mother did not approve of this connection because +the girl was very poor; and as their son was so handsome and +agreeable, had now many friends, and was very capable, they thought +that he might marry the daughter of some rich man perhaps, and so +get some money. But, although Henry was ready to jump from a wagon +twenty feet high for a few pence, and would walk the streets of the +city twelve hours a day for money, he would not so disgrace himself +as to give that most precious of all things, his heart, for gold, +and so he told his parents. + +"I shall," said he, "marry my dear Agatha, or I shall never marry +any one. She is good, and gentle, and beautiful; and if I live, she +shall have money enough too, for I can and will earn it for her. I +shall work harder and better now than I ever did before, because I +shall be working for one whom I love so dearly." + +Henry's parents saw that it was in vain to oppose him, that it would +only drive him out of the house, and that they should thus lose him +and his work too; so they gave the matter up. + +From this time Henry worked more industriously, if possible, than +ever. He did the same for his father as before; but he contrived +also to find some hours in which he might work for himself +exclusively. All that he earned at these times he devoted to his new +and dearest friend. He would purchase with the money he earned some +pretty or comfortable thing to wear that she wished and had denied +herself; or sometimes he would get some nice thing for her to eat; +for she had delicate health, and but little appetite. + +After work was done in the shop, and the family had gone to bed, +Henry used to hasten to his dear Agatha, and pass two or three happy +hours with her. They both had fine voices, and many an hour they +would sing together, till they would forget the weariness of the +day, and the fact that they had nothing but their love for each +other to bless themselves with in this world. They worked harder, +they denied themselves more than ever, they were more careful to be +wise and good for the sake of each other; and so their love made +them better as well as happier. + +At last, when Henry was nineteen, his parents consented to his +marrying and bringing his wife home to their house. As there was no +money to spare, they could only have a very quiet wedding. They were +married with-out any parade or expense, and never were two +excellent beings happier than they. + +The young wife made herself very useful in her husband's family. She +worked very hard,--her husband thought harder than she ought to +work,--and he was anxious to be independent, and have a house of his +own, where he could take more care of her, and prevent her injuring +herself by labor. + +There was some money due his father in Bremen; and, after living at +home a year or so, Henry took his wife with him, and went there to +collect the money. + +There they lived two years, and there they suffered severely. They +were very poor, and they met with misfortunes. At last Henry's wife +and their two children took the small-pox; but they all lived and +got well, and their love for each other was only made more perfect +by suffering; for they learned patience and fortitude, and were +confirmed in what they both before believed, that they could bear +any trouble if they could share it together. + +At the end of the two years, they returned to Hamburg. During their +absence, Henry's mother had died, and his father had married a woman +who had a little property. + +Henry now felt no longer anxious about his family, and set up for +himself in the cane and whalebone business. He took a small house, +just big enough for his family, and they invited his wife's sister +to live with them and assist in the work. + +Henry was very desirous of setting up a cane and whalebone factory, +and doing business upon a larger scale, but had not the means to +obtain suitable machinery. He wanted a large boiler, but it was too +expensive, and he knew not what to do. Here his excellent character +was the cause of his success. A gentleman who had known him from the +time when he used to carry about dust sticks to sell came forward +and offered him a large boiler, and told him that he might pay for +it whenever he could conveniently. Henry accepted the kind offer, +and commenced business directly. + +His old customers all came to him, and in a short time he was able +to hire a man to help him. It was not long before he wanted another, +and then another man. Every thing prospered with him. He made money +fast. His business grew larger constantly. He did all sorts of work +in whalebone and cane; now he added ivory, umbrella sticks, keys for +pianos, canes, and whip handles, and made all sorts of things in +which these materials are used. + +Henry was so well acquainted with his business, so industrious and +faithful, was known to be so honest and just in his dealings, and +was so kind in his treatment of his workmen, that all who wanted +what he could supply went to him, and his success was very great. He +grew rich. It was not a great while before he was able to build a +large factory in the neighborhood of the city. + +The little pedler of dust sticks was now one of the richest men in +Hamburg. He had four hundred men in his employ, had a large house in +town, and another in the country. He was thus able to indulge his +love for nature. After a hard day's work, he could come home and +enjoy the beautiful sunset, and look at the moon and stars in the +evening, and hear the nightingale sing, and join with his Agatha in +the song of praise to the Giver of all good things. + +Henry did not, because he was rich, lead a lazy and selfish life. He +still worked with his own hands, and thus taught his workmen +himself, and made their work more easy and agreeable by his presence +as well as by his instructions. He was continually making +improvements in his business, inventing new things, and so keeping +up his reputation. He exported large quantities of the articles made +in his factory. Every year his business grew larger, and he gained +still higher reputation. + +Henry's fellow-citizens offered him some of the highest offices of +honor and profit which the city had to bestow; but he refused them. +The only ones he accepted were those that gave no pay. He was one of +the overseers of the poor, and was always one of the first to aid, +in any way he could, plans for the benefit of his suffering +fellow-beings. He gave money himself generously, but was very anxious +not to have his charities made public. + +He was one of the directors of the first railroad from Hamburg. + +He engaged all his workmen with reference to their character as well +as their capacity, and no one of them ever left him. He was their +best benefactor and friend. + +So lived this excellent man, as happy as he was good and useful, for +sixteen years with his dear wife; they had seven living children; +but, as I before told you, she had very delicate health, and it was +the will of God that these two loving hearts should be separated in +this world, as we hope, to meet in heaven to part no more. After +sixteen years of perfect love and joy, he parted with his dear +Agatha. + +Henry bore his sorrow meekly and patiently. He did not speak, he +could not weep; but life was never again the same thing to him; he +never parted for a moment with the memory of his loving and +dearly-beloved wife. He was then only thirty-five years old, but he +never married again; and when urged to take another wife, he always +replied, "I cannot marry again." He felt that he was married forever +to his dear Agatha. + +I must relate to you some of the beautiful things Henry's daughter +told me about her mother. Agatha had such a refined and beautiful +taste and manner that though, from her parents' poverty, she had not +had the benefit of an education, yet it was a common saying of the +many who knew her, that she would have graced a court. She never +said or did any thing that was not delicate and beautiful. Her +dress, even when they were very poor, had never a hole nor a spot. +She never allowed any rude or vulgar thing to be said in her +presence without expressing her displeasure. She was one of nature's +nobility. She lived and moved in beauty as well as in goodness. + +When she found she was dying, she asked her husband to leave the +room, and then asked a friend who was with her to pray silently, for +she would not distress her husband; and so she passed away without a +groan, calmly and sweetly, before he returned. An immense procession +of the people followed her to the grave, to express their admiration +of her character and their sorrow for her early death. There were in +Hamburg, at that time, two large churches, afterwards burned down at +the great fire, which had chimes of bells in their towers. These +bells played their solemn tones only when some person lamented by +the whole city died. These bells were rung at the funeral of Agatha. + +Henry, ever after his separation from her, would go, at the +anniversary of her birth and death, and take all his children and +grand-children with him to her grave. They carried wreaths and +bouquets of flowers, and laid them there; and he would sit down with +them and relate some anecdote about their mother. + +It is a custom with the people of Germany to strew flowers on the +graves of their friends. The burying ground was not far from the +street, and often unfeeling boys would steal these sacred flowers; +but not one was ever stolen from the grave of Agatha. + +The sister of whom we have before spoken, whom we will call also by +her Christian name, Catharine, loved her sister with the most +devoted love, and when Agatha was dying, promised her that she would +be a mother to her children, and never leave them till they were +able to take care of themselves. + +She kept her word. She refused many offers of marriage, which she +might have been disposed to accept, and was a true mother to her +sister's children, till they were all either married or old enough +not to want her care. Then, at the age of fifty, aunt Catharine +married a widower, who had three children, who wanted her care. + +From the time Henry lost his dear wife, he devoted himself not only +more than ever to his children, but also to the good of his workmen. +He sought in duty, in good works, for strength to bear his heavy +sorrow; so that death might not divide him from her he loved, but +that he might be fitting himself for an eternal union with her in +heaven. + +Henry never forgot that he had been obliged to work hard for a +living himself, and he also remembered what had been his greatest +trials in his days of poverty. He determined to save his workmen +from these sufferings as much as possible. + +He recollected and still felt the evils of a want of education. He +could never forget how with longing eyes he had used to look at +books, and what a joy it had been to him to go to school; and he +resolved that his children should be well instructed. The garden of +knowledge, that was so tempting to him, and that he was not allowed +to enter, he resolved should be open to them. He gave them the best +instructors he could find, and took care that they should be taught +every thing that would be useful to them--the modern languages, +music, drawing, history, &c. + +Henry had found the blessing of being able to labor skilfully with +his hands; so he insisted that all his children should learn how to +work with their own hands. + +"My daughters," he said, "in order to be good housewives, must know +how every thing ought to be done, and be able to do it. If they are +poor, this will save them from much misery, and secure them comfort +and respectability." + +He insisted that those of his sons who engaged in his business +should work with the workmen, wear the same dress, and do just as +they did; so that the boys might be independent of circumstances, +and have the security of a good living, come what would. Thus every +one of his children had the advantages which belong to poverty as +well as those of riches. Their father said to them, that if they +knew what work was, they would know what to require of those who +labored for them; that they would have more feeling for laborers, +and more respect for them. + +Henry was truly the friend of his workmen. He gave them time enough +to go to school. He encouraged temperance; he had a weak kind of +beer, made of herbs, for them to drink, so that they might not +desire spirit. He gave them, once a year, a handsome dinner, at +which he presided himself. He encouraged them to read, and helped +them to obtain books. He had a singing master, and took care that +every one who had a voice should be taught to sing. He bought a +pianoforte for them, and had it put in a room in the factory, where +any one, who had time, and wished to play, could go and play upon +it; and he gave them a music teacher. + +He did every thing he could to make their life beautiful and happy. +He induced them to save a small sum every week from their wages, as +a fund to be used when any one died, or was sick, or was married, or +wanted particular aid beyond what his wages afforded. + +Henry's factory was the abode of industry, temperance, and +cheerfulness. The workmen all loved him like a brother. It was his +great object to show them that labor was an honorable thing, and to +make laborers as happy as he thought they ought to be. + +Henry was much interested in all that related to the United States +of America; and he was very angry at our slavery. He felt that +slavery brought labor into discredit, and his heart ached for the +poor slaves, who are cut off from all knowledge, all improvement. +Nothing excited in him such a deep indignation, nothing awaked such +abhorrence in his heart, as the thought of a man's receiving the +services of another without making adequate compensation; or the +idea of any man exercising tyranny over his brother man. + +Henry's workmen were the happiest and best in Hamburg. They loved +their employer with their whole hearts; there was nothing they would +not do for him. When his factory had been established twenty-five +years, the workmen determined to have a jubilee on the occasion, and +to hold it on his birthday. They kept their intention a secret from +him till the day arrived; but they were obliged to tell his +children, who, they knew, would wish to make arrangements for +receiving them in such a way as their father would approve of, if he +knew of it. + +It was summer time; and on Henry's birthday, at seven o'clock in the +morning, (for they knew their friend was an early riser,) a strain +of grand and beautiful music broke the stillness of the early hour, +and a long procession of five hundred men was seen to wind around +the house. + +The musicians, playing upon their fine wind instruments, and dressed +very gayly, came first. Then came those of his workmen who had been +with him twenty-five years; then his clerks and book-keepers; then +followed his other workmen, and then all the boys who were employed +in his factory. All wore black coats, with a green bow pinned on the +breast. + +They drew up in a circle on the lawn before his house; and five old +men, who had been with him for twenty-five years, stood in the +centre, holding something which was wrapped up in the Hamburg flag. +Now all the musical instruments played a solemn, religious hymn. +Immediately after, the five hundred voices joined in singing it. +Never did a truer music rise to heaven than this; it was the music +of grateful, happy hearts. + +When the hymn was sung, the book-keeper came forward and made an +address to his master, in the name of them all. In this address they +told Henry how happy he had made them; how much good he had done +them; how sensible they were of his kindness to them, and how full +of gratitude their hearts were towards him. They expressed the hope +that they should live with him all their lives. + +Now the old men advanced, and uncovered what they bore in their +hands. It was a fine portrait of their benefactor, in a splendid +frame. The picture was surrounded on the margin by fine drawings, +arranged in a tasteful manner, of all the various articles which +were made in his factory, views of his warehouses in Hamburg, of the +factory in which they worked, of his house in town, of the one in +the country where they then were, and of the old exchange, where he +used to stand when he sold canes and dust sticks. Then the old men +presented to him the picture, saying only a few words of respectful +affection. + +The good man shed tears. He could not speak at first. At last he +said, that this was the first time in his life that he regretted +that he could not speak in public; that if he had ever done any +thing for them, that day more than repaid him for all. They then +gave him three cheers. They now sang a German national tune, to +words which had been written for the occasion. + +The children, who, as I told you, knew what was to happen, had +prepared a breakfast for these five hundred of their father's +friends. All the tables were spread in the garden behind the house, +and Henry desired that all the store rooms should be opened, and +that nothing should be spared. + +After an excellent breakfast, at which the children of the good man +waited, the procession marched around to the fine music; and the +workmen, having enjoyed themselves all the morning to their hearts' +content, went to partake of a dinner which the family had provided +for them in a large farm house. Here they sang, and laughed, and +told stories till about eight o'clock in the evening, when they +returned by railway to Hamburg, in a special train which the +railroad directors ordered, free of expense, out of respect for +Henry. The railroad was behind Henry's house, and as the workmen +passed, they waved their hats and cheered him and the family till +they were out of hearing. + +The picture I had so much admired was a copy of this very picture +which the workmen had presented. The original was hung up in Henry's +drawing room, as his most valuable possession. No wonder his +daughter felt proud of that picture, and loved to show her copy of +it to her friends. Near it hung a likeness of his dear Agatha. She +was very beautiful. It was a pleasant thing to hear the daughter +talk of her father and mother. + +Thus did Henry live a useful, honorable, and happy life--the natural +result of his industry, perseverance, uprightness, and true +benevolence. Like Ben Adhem, he had shown his love to God by his +love to man. + +One of Henry's sons had come to this country, to set up a cane and +whalebone factory in New York. The father had aided him as far as he +thought best, but urged him to depend as far as possible upon his +own industry and ability. + +This son followed his father's example, and was very successful; but +was obliged, on account of the bad effects of our climate upon his +health, to return to his native land. The father, who was anxious to +visit the United States, and wished much to see his daughter again, +who was particularly dear to him, determined to come, for a while, +in his son's place. Henry thought also that his health, which began +to fail, might be benefited by a sea voyage. + +One reason why he wished much to visit America was, that he might +see, with his own eyes, the position of the laboring classes in the +Free States. Of the Slave States he never could think with patience. +His daughter told me that the only time when she had seen her father +lose his self-command, was when a gentleman, just returned from the +West Indies, had defended slavery, and had said that the negroes +were only fit to be slaves. Henry's anger was irrepressible, and, +although it was at his own table, and he was remarkable for his +hospitality and politeness, he could not help showing his +indignation. + +Nothing could exceed his delight at what he saw in this part of our +country. The appearance every where of prosperity and comfort; the +cheerful look of our mechanics and laborers; their activity; the +freedom and joyousness of their manners,--all spoke to him of a +free, prosperous, and happy people. + +He was only, for any long time, in New York, where his son's factory +was, and in Massachusetts, where his daughter lived. Unhappily his +health did not improve. On the contrary, it failed almost daily. +Still he enjoyed himself much. While in this part of the country, he +took many drives around the environs of Boston with his daughter, +and expressed the greatest delight at the aspect of the country, +particularly at the appearance of the houses of the farmers and +mechanics. + +He found, when in the city of New York, that attention to business +was too much for his strength; so he resolved to travel. "Nature," +he said, "will cure me; I will go to Niagara." + +He brought with him, as a companion and nurse, his youngest son, a +lad of fifteen years of age. The boy went every where with him. When +they arrived at Niagara, Henry would not go to the Falls with any +other visitors; he only allowed his son to accompany him. When he +first saw this glorious wonder of our western world, he fell on his +knees and wept; he could not contain his emotion. He was a true +worshipper of Nature, and he courted her healing influences; but he +only found still greater peace and health of mind; his bodily health +did not return. + +His daughter, who, like all Germans, held a festival every +Christmas, wrote to urge him to pass his Christmas with her at her +Massachusetts home; he was then in New York. He replied that he was +too ill to bear the journey at that season. The pleasure of the +thought of her Christmas evening was gone; but she determined to +make it as pleasant as she could to her husband and children, though +her thoughts and her heart were with her sick father. + +In the morning, however, a telegraphic message arrived from her +father, saying he would be with them at eight o'clock in the +evening. + +With the Germans, the whole family make presents to each other, no +matter how trifling; but some little present every one receives. +Henry's little granddaughter was dressed in a style as fairy-like as +possible, and presented her grandfather with a basket of such fruits +as the season would allow of, as the most appropriate present for a +lover of Nature. A very happy evening the good man had with his +children. + +He was forced to return to New York. It was not many months after +that his daughter heard that he was very ill at Oyster Bay, where he +had gone to a water cure establishment. She went immediately to him, +and remained with him, nursing him, and reading to him, till he was +better, though not well. + +During this period, when he was able to bear the fatigue, his +daughter drove him in a gig round the neighboring country; and she +told me that such was his interest in the laborers, that he would +never pass one without stopping, and asking him questions about his +mode of working, &c. He could not speak English; but she was the +interpreter. + +At last he insisted upon his daughter's returning to her family. +There was something so solemn, so repressed, in his manner, when he +took leave of her, that she was afterwards convinced that he knew he +should never see her again; but he said not a word of the kind. + +His health grew worse; his strength failed daily; and he determined +to return to Germany, so as to die in his native land. He wrote to +his daughter, to ask her, as a proof of her love for him, not to +come to say farewell. She was ill at the time, and submitted with a +sad and aching heart. + +She had seen her dear, excellent father for the last time. He lived +to arrive in Hamburg. His workmen, when they heard of his arrival, +went to the vessel, and bore him in their arms to his country house, +where he died eight days afterwards. + +He showed his strong and deep love of nature in these his last +hours; for when he was so weak as to be apparently unconscious of +the presence of those he loved, he begged to be carried into his +garden, that he might hear the birds sing, and look upon his flowers +once more. + +When he knew he was breathing his last, he said to his children who +were standing around his bed, "Be useful, and love one another." + +His death was considered a public calamity in Hamburg. His workmen +felt that they had lost their benefactor and brother. His children +knew that life could never give them another such friend. + +His body was placed in the great hall, in his country house, and +surrounded by orange trees in full bloom. Flowers he loved to the +very last; and flowers shed their perfume over the mortal garment of +his great and beautiful soul. One after another, his workmen and his +other friends came and looked at his sweet and noble countenance, +and took a last farewell. + +In Germany, when a distinguished man dies, he is carried to the +grave on an elevated hearse decorated with black feathers and all +the trappings of woe; but Henry's workmen insisted upon carrying +their benefactor and friend to his last home in their arms. Their +sorrowing hearts were the truest mourning, the only pomp and +circumstance worthy of the occasion; and their streaming eyes were +the modest and unobtrusive, but most deeply affecting, pageant of +that day. All the inhabitants followed him, with mourning in their +hearts. Remembering Henry's love for flowers, his fellow-citizens +made arches of flowers in three places for his mortal remains to +pass under, as the most appropriate testimonial of their love. The +public officers all followed him to the grave, and the military paid +him appropriate honors. Three different addresses were delivered +over his body by distinguished speakers, and then hundreds and +hundreds of voices joined in singing a hymn to his praise written by +a friend. + +Henry made such an arrangement of his business, and left such +directions about it, as to make sure that his workmen should, if +they wished it, have employment in his factory for ten years to +come. He divided his property equally amongst his children, and +bequeathed to them all his charities, which were not few, saying +that he knew that his children would do as he had done, and that +these duties would be sacred with them. + +Such a life needs no comment. Its eloquence, its immortal power, is +its truth, its reality. + +Among the many beautiful things that were written in honor of Henry, +I have translated these as peculiarly simple and just. + + + +"ON THE GRAVE OF THE GOOD, GREAT MAN." + +"Henry--, a MAN in the best sense of the term, strong in body and +soul, with a heart full of the noblest purposes, which he carried +out into action, without show and with a child-like mind." + +"To the great Giver of all things thankful for the smallest gift. To +his family a devoted father. To his friends a faithful friend. To +the state a useful citizen. To the poor a benefactor. To the dying a +worthy example." + +"Why was this power broken in the prime of life? Why were the wings +of this diligent spirit clipped? Why were stopped the beatings of +this heart, which beat for all created things? Sad questions, which +can only find an answer in the assurance that all which God wills +for us is good." + +"Peace be with thee, friend and brother! We can never forget thee." + + Around their father's grave the children stand, + And mourning friends are shedding bitter tears; + With sorrowing faces men are standing here, + Whose tender love did bear him in their arms + In sickness once, and now once more in death, + Him who protector, friend, and helper was; + And many eyes whose tears he wiped away, + Are weeping at his narrow house to-day. + + When the frail vestments of the soul + Are hidden in the tomb, what then remains to man? + The memory of his deeds is ours. + O sacred death, then, like the flowers of spring, + Many good deeds are brought to light. + Blessed and full of love, good children + And true friends stand at his grave, + And there with truth loudly declare, + "A noble soul has gone to heaven; + Rich seed has borne celestial fruit; + His whole day's work now in God is done." + Thus speak we now over thy grave, + Our friend, now glorified and living in our hearts. + A lasting monument thou thyself hast built + In every heart which thy great worth has known. + + Yes, more than marble or than brass, our love + Shall honor thee, who dwellest in our hearts. + These tears, which pure love consecrates to thee, + Thou noble man, whom God has called away + From work which He himself has blessed,-- + These grateful tears shall fall upon the tomb + That hides the earthly garment of our friend. + + O, let us ne'er forget the firm and earnest mind + Which bore him swiftly onward in his course; + How from a slender twig he built a bridge + O'er which he safely hastened to the work + Which youthful hope and courage planned. + Think how the circle of his love embraced + His children and his children's children, all, + His highest joy their happiness and good. + + Think how he labored for the good of all, + Supporter, benefactor, faithful friend! + How with his wise and powerful mind + He served and blessed his native place! + His works remain to speak his praise. + How did his generous, noble spirit glow + With joy at all the good and beautiful + Which time and human skill brought forth! + He ever did the standard gladly gain + Which light, and truth, and justice raised; + And when his noble efforts seemed to fail, + Found ever in his pure and quiet breast a sweet repose. + + We give to-day thy dust to dust. + Thy spirit, thy true being, is with us. + Thou art not dead; thou art already risen. + Loved friend, thou livest, and thou watchest o'er us still. + Be dry our tears; be hushed our sighs; + Victor o'er death, our friend still lives; + Takes his reward from the Great Master's band. + Deep night has passed away. On him + Eternal morning breaks. He, + From the dark chamber of the grave, + Goes to the light of the All-holy One. + + Weep, weep no more! Look up with hope on high! + There does he dwell. He liveth too on earth. + The Master who has called him hence to higher work, + To-morrow will call us--perhaps to-day. + Then shall we see him once again. He, who went home + From earth in weakness and in pain, + Is risen there in everlasting joy and strength. + Till then we here resolve to live like him, + That we, like him, may die religious, true, and free. + + +When any little boy reads this true story of a good, great man, I +would have him remember that Henry began to be a good, great man +when only eight years old. Henry began by being industrious, +patient, and good humored, so that people liked to buy his sticks. +Then he was faithful and true to his father, and would not leave +him, not even for the sake of gaining some advantages. Henry used +all his faculties, and, by making his pretty canes, he got money, +not to buy sugar plums, but to pay for instruction. When he did +wrong, he took his punishment cheerfully, and did not commit the +same fault again. All the virtues which finally made him a good, +great man he began to practise when he was only eight years of age, +when he was really a little boy. + +I would have every little boy and girl who reads this story try to +imitate him. If he is poor, let him learn to do something useful, so +to earn money that may help his father and mother, and perhaps be +the means of giving him a better education. If he is rich, let him +seek to get knowledge, and let him remember those who have not as +much as he has, like little Eva, who taught Uncle Tom. Let him +remember that the selfish and the lazy cannot be truly happy; that +selfishness is its own punishment in the end; that no children and +no men are truly happy or truly good who do not obey the words of +the noble-minded Henry on his death-bed-- + + "Be useful, and love one another" + + + + +THE MIGHTY DEEDS OF ABC. + +A LETTER TO A LITTLE BOY FROM HIS AUNT. + + +MY DEAR FRANK: I was much pleased with your writing me a letter. If +you were to take a piece of paper, and do up some sugar plums in it, +and send it to me, I should eat up the sugar plums, and then there +would be nothing left but the piece of white paper; but if you take +a piece of paper, and mark on it with a pen some crooked and some +straight, some round and some long strokes, they tell me, though +they make no noise, that you love me, and they seem just like little +messengers from you to me, all with something to tell me of my dear +little Frank. + +Besides, after these messengers have spoken once, there they stand +ready to speak again as soon as I only look at them, and tell me the +same pleasant story the second time that they did the first. + +If I were to put them away in a safe place for forty years, and then +look at them, when you were beginning to be an old man, these +crooked scratches of your pen would still talk to me of little +Frank, as he was when I held him in my lap, and we used to laugh, +and talk, and tell stories together. + +Think, then, my dear Frank, how much better it is to be able to fill +a letter with these curious strokes to send to a friend than to have +bushels of sugar plums to send him. + +Did you ever think what curious things these little letters are? You +know the great Bible that you love to look at so much, and to hear +father read from. All the wonderful things related in it are told by +twenty-six little letters. + +It is they that tell you of the creation of the world, of the +beautiful garden called Eden in which Adam and Eve lived; they tell +you the sad story of their disobedience to God, and of their being +turned out of paradise. + +Then they tell you all about the Israelites, or Jews, as we call +them. In the same book, these twenty-six letters place themselves a +little differently, and tell you the story of Joseph and his +brethren that you were so much pleased with when your father read it +to you, and that of David and Goliath, that you like so much. + +Then these same wonderful story tellers relate to you the beautiful +history of Daniel; of that courageous, good man who chose rather to +be torn to pieces by wild beasts than not to pray every day to God, +and thank Him for His goodness; and how God preserved him in the +lion's den. + +The wonderful story of Elijah they also tell you, and many others. + +But last and most interesting and wonderful of all, my dear little +Frank, is the story of Jesus Christ and his friends called the +apostles. + +These little letters have never told such a beautiful and affecting +story as they tell you of that pure and spotless Being who was sent +by God to teach us our duty, and to show us the way to be happy +forever. + +No being ever existed on this earth who showed so much love and +tenderness, so much goodness and humility, so much wisdom and power +as did Jesus Christ. + +There, in that best of books, stand these little messengers, as I +call them, still speaking the very words of the blessed Saviour; +ready to comfort the poor and sorrowful; to teach patience and hope +to the sick; to instruct the ignorant; to reprove the wicked; and +inviting little children to come to his arms and receive his +blessing. + +Do you not want to know all that they can tell you of this great and +good Being? + +I could write you, my dear Frank, a letter so long that I fear you +would be tired of reading it, about these same wonderful little +figures; but now I dare say that you will think more of them +yourself, and that the little book with the corners rolled up which +contains your ABC will be more respectable in your sight. + +Perhaps you will, after thinking some time, ask who invented these +wonderful letters; and then, if you do really want to know, your +father will tell you all that is known about it, or, at least, all +that you can remember and understand. When you are old enough to +read about the history of letters, you will find books which will +make you laugh by telling you that there was a time when, if you +wanted to write "a man," you would have been obliged to draw the +picture of a man; and, as there was then no paper like ours, you +would have been obliged to take a piece of wood or bark to make the +drawing on; and so the same with every thing else. + +So you see, if you and I had lived at that time, and you had written +to me about your dog, your pleasant ride and the other things that +were in your letter, you would perhaps have been obliged to get a +man to bring me the letter, it would have been so clumsy, instead of +bringing it yourself, folded neatly in your nice little pocket book; +and as for my letter, only think how much room it would have taken +up. + +You will say, "Why, aunt, letters are not only better than sugar +plums, they are better than dollars." + +Indeed they are, my dear Frank. The knowledge that they can give, +the blessing they can bestow, is better and more valuable than all +the silver and gold in the whole world; for they can teach us what +is wisdom and happiness; they can teach us the will of God. + +I love to think, too, of what pleasant messages they can carry +backwards and forwards between friends, and that in a few hours +these curious, handy little things will appear before you, my dear +little Frank, and tell you what I have just been thinking about, and +that I always love you, and am ever + +Your affectionate AUNT. + + + + +WHAT DAY IS IT? + + +It is so still that, although it is midday, one can hear the sound +of the soft spring shower as it falls on the young and tender +leaves. + +The crowing of the cock pierces the ear with his shrill note, as in +the silent watches of the night. The song of the wren is so +undisturbed, it is so full, and is heard so distinctly that it only +reminds one, with its sweet music, how unusual is the silence; it +does indeed seem but the "echo of tranquillity." + +There are many people in the streets, but they have a different +appearance from usual; they are all dressed in their holiday +garments; they look happy, but they are very calm and serious. The +gentle shower does not seem to disturb them; it only affords an +opportunity for reciprocal kindness. + +I see a venerable-looking old lady who from infirmity is obliged to +walk very slowly. She is supported by a bright, rosy-cheeked girl +who holds up the umbrella, and keeps back her light and joyous step +to the slow time of her aged companion. + +An elegant-looking woman is leading, with great care and tenderness, +a little girl through the mud. The lady puts her umbrella so low +that the rain is kept from the child, but it falls upon her own gay +clothes. The little girl must be that lady's daughter. But see! they +stop at the door of yonder miserable-looking house. The lady cannot +live there, surely. She gives the child a little book. The little +girl enters alone. I see her now in the house. She is the daughter +of the poor, sick woman who lives there. + +There is a trembling old man tottering along: he looks a little like +Tipsy David, as the boys call him; but he has on a clean and +respectable suit of black, and a weed on his hat; he is quite sober, +but it is David; and one of the very boys that have laughed at and +abused him when intoxicated, now respectfully offers him an +umbrella. + +A fashionable young man is gallanting a lady with the greatest care +and most delicate respect; she must be his sister, or the lady he is +engaged to marry, he is so careful to shelter her from every drop of +rain. No, I see her enter her door; it is my good neighbor, Miss--; +she is one of the excellent of the earth, but she is poor, old and +forsaken by all but the few who seek for those whom others forget. +She has no beauty, no celebrity; there is no eclat in noticing her; +there are those who will even laugh at him for his attention to her. + +Stranger than all, there are two men, violent opponents in religion +and politics, walking arm in arm with each other. The Calvinist +extends to him whom he considers his erring brother a kindness as if +to a dear friend; for the Universalist is sick, and the Calvinist +tries to protect him from the shower while exposing himself; see, he +takes off his own cloak and puts it on him. + +What does all this mean? Whence is this holy stillness? What day is +it? + +It is the Lord's day! All these people are returning from the house +of prayer. It is this thought that makes the laughing girl restrain +her gayety, and teach her steps to keep time with her infirm old +friend. + +The sinful old man abstains from his vicious habit out of reverence +for this holy day; he has lost his son too; and sorrow and the +weight of an evil conscience have driven him to the mercy seat; and +they who despised his drunkenness respect his misery. + +The lady who led the little child so tenderly to its poor mother's +door is a teacher in the Sunday school; the book she gave tells of +the wisdom and goodness of God; she has awakened in her little +pupil's soul that princi-pie which shall never die, and taught her +to be a messenger of peace and joy to her poor, sick mother. + +It is the influence of this blessed day that makes the usually +frivolous and thoughtless prefer a work of charity to the +gratification of vanity. + +It is the Sabbath day, with its calm and elevated duties and holy +repose, that subdues animosity, lays the restless spirit of vanity, +checks habitual vice, and awakens all the charities and sweet +courtesies of life. + +This is the true rest of the Sabbath; the rest from vanity, from +contention, from sin. This is the true preaching, the practice of +Christian duties, the performance of works of love, the exercise of +the holiest affections of our nature. This is the true service of +God; doing good to His human family. This is the true knowledge of +Him, "that we love one another." + +Doubtless the instructions from the pulpit do, in many instances, +enlighten the ignorant, quicken the languid and the cold-hearted, +and alarm or persuade the sinful and the erring; and, on this +account alone, the day is a great good, and should be welcomed. +However, were any one doubtful of the blessing that attends it, I +would not reason with him, but I would, if it were possible, lead +him, when he knew not what day it was, where he could witness, as I +have, such a scene as I have just described; and when he exclaimed, +"What does it all mean? What day is it?" I would simply answer, "It +is the Sabbath day." + + + + +THE CHILD AT HER MOTHER'S GRAVE. + +[TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.] + + + In that little room of thine + Sweet sleep has come to thee. + Ah, mother! dearest mother mine! + O, call me to that room of thine; + O, shut it not from me. + + + I would so gladly be with thee, + And be thy child again. + 'Tis cold and stormy here with me. + Tis warm, and O, so still with thee. + O, let me, let me in. + + + Thou took'st me gladly once with thee, + So gladly held'st my hand! + O, see! thou hast forsaken me. + Take me, this time, again with thee + Into the heavenly land. + + + + +EVENING PRAYER. + + Thou, from whom we never part; + Thou, whose love is every where; + Thou, who seest every heart, + Listen to our evening prayer. + + + Father, fill our souls with love; + Love unfailing, full, and free; + Love no injury can move; + Love that ever rests on thee. + + + Heavenly Father, through the night + Keep us safe from every ill. + Cheerful as the morning light, + May we wake to do thy will. + + + + +THE SABBATH IS HERE. + +[FROM KRUMACHER.] + + The Sabbath is here. It is sent us from Heaven. + Rest, rest, toilsome life. + Be silent all strife. + Let us stop on our way, + And give thanks, and pray + To Him who all things has given. + + + The Sabbath is here. To the fields let us go. + How fresh and how fair, + In the still morning air, + The bright golden grain + Waves over the plain! + It is God who doth all this bestow. + + + The Sabbath is here. On this blessed morn, + No tired ox moans, + No creaking wheel groans. + At rest is the plough. + No noise is heard now, + Save the sound of the rustling corn. + + + The Sabbath is here. Our seed we have sown, + In hope and in faith. + The Father He saith + Amen! Be it so! + Behold the corn grow! + Rejoicing his goodness we'll own. + + + The Sabbath is here. His love we will sing, + Who sendeth the rain + Upon the young grain. + Full soon all around + The sickle will sound, + And home the bright sheaves we will bring + + + The Sabbath is here. In hope and in love, + We sow in the dust, + While humbly we trust, + Up yonder, shall grow + The seed which we sow, + And bloom a bright garland above. + + + + +TO A BUTTERFLY. + +[FREE TRANSLATION FROM HERDER.] + + Airy, lovely, heavenly thing! + Butterfly with quivering wing! + Hovering, in thy transient hour, + Over every bush and flower, + Feasting upon flowers and dew, + Thyself a brilliant blossom too. + + + Who, with rosy fingers fine, + Purpled o'er those wings of thine? + Was it some sylph whose tender care + Spangled thy robes so fine and fair, + And wove them of the morning air? + I feel thy little throbbing heart. + Thou fear'st, e'en now, death's bitter smart + + + Fly little spirit, fly away! + Be free and joyful, thy short day! + Image, thou dost seem to me, + Of that which I may, one day, be, + When I shall drop this robe of earth, + And wake into a spirit's birth. + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS *** + +***** This file should be named 4040.txt or 4040.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/4/4040/ + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/4040.zip b/4040.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1875367 --- /dev/null +++ b/4040.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc56772 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #4040 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4040) diff --git a/old/pdlrd10.txt b/old/pdlrd10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1ba3a77 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/pdlrd10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1715 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen +#5 in our series by Eliza Lee Follen + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. The words +are carefully chosen to provide users with the information they +need about what they can legally do with the texts. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These Etexts Are Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below, including for donations. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) +organization with EIN [Employee Identification Number] 64-6221541 + + + +Title: The Pedler of Dust Sticks + +Author: Eliza Lee Follen + +Release Date: May, 2003 [Etext #4040] +[Yes, we are about one year ahead of schedule] +[The actual date this file first posted = 10/19/01] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +The Project Gutenberg Etext The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen +***********This file should be named pdlrd10.txt or pdlrd10.zip*********** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, pdlrd11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, pdlrd10a.txt + +This etext was produced by Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. Therefore, we usually do NOT keep any +of these books in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our books one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to send us error messages even years after +the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our sites at: +http://gutenberg.net +http://promo.net/pg + + +Those of you who want to download any Etext before announcement +can surf to them as follows, and just download by date; this is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 +or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. This +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If our value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour this year as we release fifty new Etext +files per month, or 500 more Etexts in 2000 for a total of 3000+ +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +should reach over 300 billion Etexts given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000 = 1 Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +At our revised rates of production, we will reach only one-third +of that goal by the end of 2001, or about 4,000 Etexts unless we +manage to get some real funding. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of July 12, 2001 contributions are only being solicited from people in: +Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, +Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, +Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North +Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina*, South Dakota, +Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, +Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +*In Progress + +We have filed in about 45 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, +additions to this list will be made and fund raising +will begin in the additional states. Please feel +free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork +to legally request donations in all 50 states. If +your state is not listed and you would like to know +if we have added it since the list you have, just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in +states where we are not yet registered, we know +of no prohibition against accepting donations +from donors in these states who approach us with +an offer to donate. + + +International donations are accepted, +but we don't know ANYTHING about how +to make them tax-deductible, or +even if they CAN be made deductible, +and don't have the staff to handle it +even if there are ways. + +All donations should be made to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) +organization with EIN [Employee Identification Number] 64-6221541, +and has been approved as a 501(c)(3) organization by the US Internal +Revenue Service (IRS). Donations are tax-deductible to the maximum +extent permitted by law. As the requirements for other states are met, +additions to this list will be made and fund raising will begin in the +additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +hart@pobox.com forwards to hart@prairienet.org and archive.org +if your mail bounces from archive.org, I will still see it, if +it bounces from prairienet.org, better resend later on. . . . + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +*** + + +Example command-line FTP session: + +ftp ftp.ibiblio.org +login: anonymous +password: your@login +cd pub/docs/books/gutenberg +cd etext90 through etext99 or etext00 through etext02, etc. +dir [to see files] +get or mget [to get files. . .set bin for zip files] +GET GUTINDEX.?? [to get a year's listing of books, e.g., GUTINDEX.99] +GET GUTINDEX.ALL [to get a listing of ALL books] + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etexts, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this etext, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the etext, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.10/04/01*END* + + + + + +This etext was produced by Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS + +BY MRS. FOLLEN + + + +With illustrations by Billings + + + + + +THE PEDLER OF DUST STICKS. + + +One day I went to visit a friend, a lady, who came from Hamburg, in +Germany. I was much pleased with a portrait which was hanging up in +her room, and I was particularly struck by the ornamental drawings +with which the picture was surrounded. They consisted of whip +handles, canes, piano keys, mouth-pieces for wind instruments, all +sorts of umbrellas, and many more things, of every sort, made of +cane and whalebone. The arrangement was so ingenious, the designs so +fanciful, and the execution so good, that nothing could be prettier. +But what of course was of the most importance, was the face and head +that they were meant to ornament. "What a benevolent, what a +beautiful face!" I said. "Who is it?" + +"My father," the lady replied; "and he is more beautiful than the +picture, and he is still more kind than he looks there." + +"What is the meaning of all these bits of bamboo and these little +canes, so fancifully arranged around the picture?" I asked. + +"These little sticks," she replied, "tell the story of my father's +success, and of the beginning of his greatness. He began his noble +and honorable life as a little Pedler of Dust Sticks." + +"Pedler of Dust Sticks?" + +"Yes," she said; "if you would like to hear his history, I will +relate it." + +I replied that nothing could please me better; that I considered the +life of a good, great man the most beautiful of all stories. + +"I will tell it to you just as it was; and you may, if you please, +repeat it for the benefit of any one." + +When I had returned home I wrote the story down, just as I +remembered it, as she had given me leave to do. + +The Christian name of our hero was Henry, and so we will call him. +His parents lived in Hamburg, in Germany. They were very poor. His +father was a cabinet maker, with a very small business. Henry was +the second of eight children. As soon as he was eight years old, his +father, in order to raise a few more shillings to support his +family, sent him into the streets to sell little pieces of ratan, +which the people there use to beat the dust out of their clothes. + +Henry got about a cent and a half apiece for the sticks. If he sold +a great number of these little sticks, he was allowed, as a reward, +to go to an evening school, where he could learn to read. This was a +great pleasure to him; but he wanted also to learn to write. For +this, however, something extra was to be paid, and Henry was very +anxious to earn more, that he might have this advantage. + +There is a fine public walk in Hamburg, where the fashionable people +go, in good weather, to see and be seen; and where the young men go +to wait upon and see the ladies. These gentlemen were fond of having +little canes in their hands, to play with, to switch their boots +with, and to show the young ladies how gracefully they could move +their arms; and sometimes to write names in the sand. So little +Henry thought of making some very pretty canes, and selling them to +these young beaux. + +He soaked his canes for a long time in warm water, and bent the tops +round for a handle, and then ornamented them with his penknife, and +made them really very pretty. Then he went to the public walk, and +when he saw a young man walking alone, he went up to him, and with a +sweet and pleasant voice, he would say, "Will you buy a pretty cane, +sir? Six cents apiece." + +Almost every gentleman took one of the canes. + +With the money he got for his canes he was able to pay for lessons +in writing. This made him very happy, for it was the reward of his +own industry and ingenuity. + +As soon as Henry was old enough, his father employed him to carry +home the work to customers. The boy had such a beautiful +countenance, was so intelligent, and had such a pleasant manner, +that many of the customers wanted to have him come and live with +them, and promised to take good care of him; but Henry always said, +"No, I prefer staying with my father, and helping him." + +Every day the little fellow would take his bundle of dust sticks and +little canes in a box he had for the purpose, and walk up and down +the streets, offering them to every one who he thought would buy +them. And happy enough was he when he sold them all and brought home +the money to his poor father, who found it so hard to support a +large family. + +All the evenings when Henry was not so happy as to go to school, he +worked as long as he could keep his eyes open. + +He was very skilful, and made his canes so pretty, and he was such a +good boy, that he made many friends, and almost always found a good +market for his sticks. + +The poor fellow was very anxious to get money. Often his father's +customers gave him a few pence. Once he came near risking his life +to obtain a small sum. He was very strong and active, and excelled +in all the common exercises of boys; such as running, jumping, &c. +One day he got up on the top of a very high baggage wagon, and +called to the boys below, and asked them how many pence they would +give him if he would jump off of it to the ground. Some one offered +two. + +"Two are too few to risk my life for," he replied. + +They then promised to double the number; and he was upon the point +of jumping, when he felt a smart slap on his back. + +"That's what you shall have for risking your life for a few pence," +said his father, who, unobserved by Henry, had heard what had +passed, and climbed up the wagon just in time to save Henry from +perhaps breaking his neck, or at least some of his limbs. + +Henry was very fond of skating, but he had no skates. One day, when +the weather and ice were fine, he went to see the skaters. He had +only a few pence in his pocket, and he offered them for the use of a +pair of skates for a little while; but the person who had skates to +let could get more for them, and so he refused poor Henry. There was +near by, at the time, a man whose profession was gambling; and he +said to Henry, "I will show you a way by which you can double and +triple your money, if you will come with me." + +Henry followed him to a little booth, in which was a table and some +chairs; and there the man taught him a gambling game, by which, in a +few minutes, he won a dollar. + +Henry was going away with his money, thinking with delight of the +pleasure he should have in skating, and also of the money that would +be left to carry home to his poor father, when the gambler said to +him, "You foolish boy, why won't you play longer, and double your +dollar? You may as well have two or three dollars as one." + +Henry played again, and lost not only what he had won, but the few +pence he had when he came upon the ice. + +Henry was fortunate enough that day, after this occurrence, to sell +a few pretty canes, and so had some money to carry to his father; +but still he went home with a heavy heart, for he knew that he had +done a very foolish thing. + +He had learned, by this most fortunate ill luck, what gambling was; +and he made a resolution then, which he faithfully kept through his +whole after life, never to allow any poverty, any temptation +whatever, to induce him to gamble. + +Henry continually improved in his manufacture of canes, and he often +succeeded in getting money enough to pay for his writing lessons. + +There were Jews in the city, who sold canes as he did, and he would +often make an exchange with them; even if they insisted upon having +two or three of his for one of theirs; he would consent to the +bargain, when he could get from them a pretty cane; and then he +would carry it home, and imitate it, so that his canes were much +admired; and the little fellow gained customers and friends too +every day. + +The bad boys in the city he would have nothing to do with; he +treated them civilly, but he did not play with them, nor have them +for his friends. He could not take pleasure in their society. + +Henry was a great lover of nature. He spent much of his life out in +the open air, under the blue skies; and he did not fail to notice +what a grand and beautiful roof there was over his head. The clouds +by day, the stars by night, were a continued delight to him. The +warm sunshine in winter, and the cool shade of the trees in summer, +he enjoyed more than many a rich boy does the splendid furniture and +pictures in his father's house. + +One beautiful summer afternoon he was going, with his canes on his +shoulder, through the public promenade on the banks of the little +bay around which was the public walk. The waves looked so blue, and +the air was so delicious, that he was resolved he would treat +himself to a row upon the sparkling waters; so he hired a little +boat, and then got some long branches from the trees on the shore, +and stuck them all around the edges of his boat, and tied them +together by their tops, so as to make an arbor in the boat, and got +in and rowed himself about, whistling all the tunes he knew for his +music, to his heart's content. He went alone, for he had no +companion that he liked; and he would have none other. + +At last what should he see but his father, walking on the bank. + +Henry knew that his father would be very angry with him, for he was +a severe man; but he determined to bear his punishment, let it be +what it would, patiently; for he knew, when he went, that his father +would not like it; and yet he said, in telling this story to a +friend, "I was so happy, and this pleasure was so innocent, that I +could not feel as sorry as I ought to feel." + +Henry bore his punishment like a brave boy. + +It was too bad for the poor fellow to have no pleasures; nothing but +work all the time. This was especially hard for him, for no one +loved amusement better than he. + +He relished a piece of fun exceedingly. In the city of Hamburg there +was a place where young girls were always to be seen with flowers in +their hands to sell. He had observed that the Jews, of whom he +bought the pretty canes, were often rude to them, and he determined +to punish some of them. There was one who wore a wig, with a long +queue to it. The girls had their long hair braided and left hanging +down behind. + +One day this man was sitting in this flower market, with his back to +one of these girls, and Henry took the opportunity, and before +either knew what he did, he tied the two queues together; the young +girl happened not to like her seat very well, and got up rather +suddenly to change it, and off she went with the Jew's wig dangling +behind her, much to the amusement of the spectators, and especially +of Henry, who saw and enjoyed it all highly, though pretending to be +very busy selling a cane to a gentleman, who joined in the general +laugh. + +Lucky it was for Henry that the Jew did not discover who it was that +had played this roguish trick. + +Henry saw how difficult it was for his father to support the family, +and was very earnest to get money in any honest way. One day the +managers of a theatre hired him to take part in a play, where they +wanted to make a crowd. He was pleased at the thought of making some +money to carry home; but when he went behind the scenes, and saw all +that the actors did, he ran away and left them, caring not for the +money, so he could but get away from such disgusting things. + +Thus did Henry live, working from early morning till night, going to +school with a little of the money he had earned, when his father +would allow him to take it; keeping himself unstained by the +wickedness that he often saw and heard in his walks through the +city; observing every thing worth noticing, and making friends every +where by his honesty, purity, and kind-heartedness. + +At this time the French were in Hamburg, provisions were dearer than +ever, and Henry's father, with all the help he received from his +son, could not support his family in the city. + +One day he called Henry, and said, "Do you think you could support +your mother and younger sister and brother in some other place?" +Henry replied directly, "Yes, dear father, I can; at least, I will +try." So his father sent him with this part of his family to a +cheaper place, about fifty miles inland. He gave him five dollars +and his blessing, as they parted. + +Here was our friend Henry in a strange town, a small place, with no +friends there, but just fifteen years old, and with his mother, and +brother, and sister depending upon him for their daily bread. + +Henry was a brave boy; so he did not allow himself to fear. With his +five dollars he secured small, cheap rooms for a week, bought some +bread and milk for the family, and after a good night's sleep set +out, the next morning, to obtain work. He went into the street, and +after a while read upon a sign, "Furniture varnished." He went into +the shop and asked for work. The man asked him if he could varnish +well. Henry replied, "Yes, I can." He was very skilful, and he had +varnished his canes sometimes, and he felt sure he could. + +"You came from Hamburg?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Perhaps you know some new and better way than we have of +varnishing?" + +"What method do you take?" asked Henry. + +The man told him. + +Here Henry's habit of observing was the means of his getting bread +for himself and family. He had noticed a new and better way that +varnishers employed in Hamburg, and though he had not tried it with +his own hands, he was sure he could imitate what he had seen. He +said that he knew a better way. The man engaged him for a week, and +was much pleased with his work; he did not want him long, but gave +him a recommendation when he parted with him. + +After this Henry went to the baker of whom he had bought bread for +the family, and asked him for employment. The baker told him he +wanted his house painted, and asked him if he could do it. + +"Yes," said Henry, "I can do it well, I know." + +The baker liked him very much, and gave him the job without any +hesitation. + +The baker's apprentices had noticed what a good fellow Henry was, +and would often give him, in addition to the loaf for the family, +some nice cakes to carry home. So he was, as you see, now working +among friends. + +Henry had never painted before; but he had observed painters at +their work, and he did it well. He soon became known to all the +people of the town, and made many friends. He was never idle. He +made canes when he had no other work. He varnished, or painted, or +did anything that he could get to do, and supported the whole family +comfortably for two years. + +At the end of this time, his father sent to him to bring the family +home to Hamburg. Henry left without a single debt, and in the place +of the five dollars carried home ten to his father. + +I must tell you of a piece of Henry's economy and self-denial. He +grew very fast, and his boots became too small for him. While he was +getting every thing comfortable for others, he denied himself a pair +of new boots, and used to oil the old ones every time he put them +on, so as to be able to get his feet into them, and never complained +of the pain. + +Our hero--for I am sure he was a true hero--was now seventeen. The +French had left Hamburg when he returned, but it was still necessary +to have a body of soldiers to protect it, and he joined a corps of +young men. They made him distributer of provisions. His office was +one given only to those known to be honest and worthy of confidence. +The citizens began even then to show their respect for the little +pedler of dust sticks and canes. We shall see what he was yet to be. + +Henry returned to cane-making, to which he and his father soon added +work in whalebone. They were pretty successful, but, as they had +very little money to purchase stock and tools, could not make a +great business. + +It was about this time that Henry became acquainted with one who was +to form the greatest happiness of his life. There was a poor girl in +Hamburg who was a seamstress, and who not only supported herself but +her mother by her needle. Her name was Agatha. She had a lovely face +and very engaging manners; her character was still more lovely than +her face; and she had only these to recommend her, for she was very +poor. Henry became strongly attached to her, and she soon returned +his love. + +Henry's father and mother did not approve of this connection because +the girl was very poor; and as their son was so handsome and +agreeable, had now many friends, and was very capable, they thought +that he might marry the daughter of some rich man perhaps, and so +get some money. But, although Henry was ready to jump from a wagon +twenty feet high for a few pence, and would walk the streets of the +city twelve hours a day for money, he would not so disgrace himself +as to give that most precious of all things, his heart, for gold, +and so he told his parents. + +"I shall," said he, "marry my dear Agatha, or I shall never marry +any one. She is good, and gentle, and beautiful; and if I live, she +shall have money enough too, for I can and will earn it for her. I +shall work harder and better now than I ever did before, because I +shall be working for one whom I love so dearly." + +Henry's parents saw that it was in vain to oppose him, that it would +only drive him out of the house, and that they should thus lose him +and his work too; so they gave the matter up. + +From this time Henry worked more industriously, if possible, than +ever. He did the same for his father as before; but he contrived +also to find some hours in which he might work for himself +exclusively. All that he earned at these times he devoted to his new +and dearest friend. He would purchase with the money he earned some +pretty or comfortable thing to wear that she wished and had denied +herself; or sometimes he would get some nice thing for her to eat; +for she had delicate health, and but little appetite. + +After work was done in the shop, and the family had gone to bed, +Henry used to hasten to his dear Agatha, and pass two or three happy +hours with her. They both had fine voices, and many an hour they +would sing together, till they would forget the weariness of the +day, and the fact that they had nothing but their love for each +other to bless themselves with in this world. They worked harder, +they denied themselves more than ever, they were more careful to be +wise and good for the sake of each other; and so their love made +them better as well as happier. + +At last, when Henry was nineteen, his parents consented to his +marrying and bringing his wife home to their house. As there was no +money to spare, they could only have a very quiet wedding. They were +married with-out any parade or expense, and never were two +excellent beings happier than they. + +The young wife made herself very useful in her husband's family. She +worked very hard,--her husband thought harder than she ought to +work,--and he was anxious to be independent, and have a house of his +own, where he could take more care of her, and prevent her injuring +herself by labor. + +There was some money due his father in Bremen; and, after living at +home a year or so, Henry took his wife with him, and went there to +collect the money. + +There they lived two years, and there they suffered severely. They +were very poor, and they met with misfortunes. At last Henry's wife +and their two children took the small-pox; but they all lived and +got well, and their love for each other was only made more perfect +by suffering; for they learned patience and fortitude, and were +confirmed in what they both before believed, that they could bear +any trouble if they could share it together. + +At the end of the two years, they returned to Hamburg. During their +absence, Henry's mother had died, and his father had married a woman +who had a little property. + +Henry now felt no longer anxious about his family, and set up for +himself in the cane and whalebone business. He took a small house, +just big enough for his family, and they invited his wife's sister +to live with them and assist in the work. + +Henry was very desirous of setting up a cane and whalebone factory, +and doing business upon a larger scale, but had not the means to +obtain suitable machinery. He wanted a large boiler, but it was too +expensive, and he knew not what to do. Here his excellent character +was the cause of his success. A gentleman who had known him from the +time when he used to carry about dust sticks to sell came forward +and offered him a large boiler, and told him that he might pay for +it whenever he could conveniently. Henry accepted the kind offer, +and commenced business directly. + +His old customers all came to him, and in a short time he was able +to hire a man to help him. It was not long before he wanted another, +and then another man. Every thing prospered with him. He made money +fast. His business grew larger constantly. He did all sorts of work +in whalebone and cane; now he added ivory, umbrella sticks, keys for +pianos, canes, and whip handles, and made all sorts of things in +which these materials are used. + +Henry was so well acquainted with his business, so industrious and +faithful, was known to be so honest and just in his dealings, and +was so kind in his treatment of his workmen, that all who wanted +what he could supply went to him, and his success was very great. He +grew rich. It was not a great while before he was able to build a +large factory in the neighborhood of the city. + +The little pedler of dust sticks was now one of the richest men in +Hamburg. He had four hundred men in his employ, had a large house in +town, and another in the country. He was thus able to indulge his +love for nature. After a hard day's work, he could come home and +enjoy the beautiful sunset, and look at the moon and stars in the +evening, and hear the nightingale sing, and join with his Agatha in +the song of praise to the Giver of all good things. + +Henry did not, because he was rich, lead a lazy and selfish life. He +still worked with his own hands, and thus taught his workmen +himself, and made their work more easy and agreeable by his presence +as well as by his instructions. He was continually making +improvements in his business, inventing new things, and so keeping +up his reputation. He exported large quantities of the articles made +in his factory. Every year his business grew larger, and he gained +still higher reputation. + +Henry's fellow-citizens offered him some of the highest offices of +honor and profit which the city had to bestow; but he refused them. +The only ones he accepted were those that gave no pay. He was one of +the overseers of the poor, and was always one of the first to aid, +in any way he could, plans for the benefit of his suffering fellow- +beings. He gave money himself generously, but was very anxious not +to have his charities made public. + +He was one of the directors of the first railroad from Hamburg. + +He engaged all his workmen with reference to their character as well +as their capacity, and no one of them ever left him. He was their +best benefactor and friend. + +So lived this excellent man, as happy as he was good and useful, for +sixteen years with his dear wife; they had seven living children; +but, as I before told you, she had very delicate health, and it was +the will of God that these two loving hearts should be separated in +this world, as we hope, to meet in heaven to part no more. After +sixteen years of perfect love and joy, he parted with his dear +Agatha. + +Henry bore his sorrow meekly and patiently. He did not speak, he +could not weep; but life was never again the same thing to him; he +never parted for a moment with the memory of his loving and dearly- +beloved wife. He was then only thirty-five years old, but he never +married again; and when urged to take another wife, he always +replied, "I cannot marry again." He felt that he was married forever +to his dear Agatha. + +I must relate to you some of the beautiful things Henry's daughter +told me about her mother. Agatha had such a refined and beautiful +taste and manner that though, from her parents' poverty, she had not +had the benefit of an education, yet it was a common saying of the +many who knew her, that she would have graced a court. She never +said or did any thing that was not delicate and beautiful. Her +dress, even when they were very poor, had never a hole nor a spot. +She never allowed any rude or vulgar thing to be said in her +presence without expressing her displeasure. She was one of nature's +nobility. She lived and moved in beauty as well as in goodness. + +When she found she was dying, she asked her husband to leave the +room, and then asked a friend who was with her to pray silently, for +she would not distress her husband; and so she passed away without a +groan, calmly and sweetly, before he returned. An immense procession +of the people followed her to the grave, to express their admiration +of her character and their sorrow for her early death. There were in +Hamburg, at that time, two large churches, afterwards burned down at +the great fire, which had chimes of bells in their towers. These +bells played their solemn tones only when some person lamented by +the whole city died. These bells were rung at the funeral of Agatha. + +Henry, ever after his separation from her, would go, at the +anniversary of her birth and death, and take all his children and +grand-children with him to her grave. They carried wreaths and +bouquets of flowers, and laid them there; and he would sit down with +them and relate some anecdote about their mother. + +It is a custom with the people of Germany to strew flowers on the +graves of their friends. The burying ground was not far from the +street, and often unfeeling boys would steal these sacred flowers; +but not one was ever stolen from the grave of Agatha. + +The sister of whom we have before spoken, whom we will call also by +her Christian name, Catharine, loved her sister with the most +devoted love, and when Agatha was dying, promised her that she would +be a mother to her children, and never leave them till they were +able to take care of themselves. + +She kept her word. She refused many offers of marriage, which she +might have been disposed to accept, and was a true mother to her +sister's children, till they were all either married or old enough +not to want her care. Then, at the age of fifty, aunt Catharine +married a widower, who had three children, who wanted her care. + +From the time Henry lost his dear wife, he devoted himself not only +more than ever to his children, but also to the good of his workmen. +He sought in duty, in good works, for strength to bear his heavy +sorrow; so that death might not divide him from her he loved, but +that he might be fitting himself for an eternal union with her in +heaven. + +Henry never forgot that he had been obliged to work hard for a +living himself, and he also remembered what had been his greatest +trials in his days of poverty. He determined to save his workmen +from these sufferings as much as possible. + +He recollected and still felt the evils of a want of education. He +could never forget how with longing eyes he had used to look at +books, and what a joy it had been to him to go to school; and he +resolved that his children should be well instructed. The garden of +knowledge, that was so tempting to him, and that he was not allowed +to enter, he resolved should be open to them. He gave them the best +instructors he could find, and took care that they should be taught +every thing that would be useful to them--the modern languages, +music, drawing, history, &c. + +Henry had found the blessing of being able to labor skilfully with +his hands; so he insisted that all his children should learn how to +work with their own hands. + +"My daughters," he said, "in order to be good housewives, must know +how every thing ought to be done, and be able to do it. If they are +poor, this will save them from much misery, and secure them comfort +and respectability." + +He insisted that those of his sons who engaged in his business +should work with the workmen, wear the same dress, and do just as +they did; so that the boys might be independent of circumstances, +and have the security of a good living, come what would. Thus every +one of his children had the advantages which belong to poverty as +well as those of riches. Their father said to them, that if they +knew what work was, they would know what to require of those who +labored for them; that they would have more feeling for laborers, +and more respect for them. + +Henry was truly the friend of his workmen. He gave them time enough +to go to school. He encouraged temperance; he had a weak kind of +beer, made of herbs, for them to drink, so that they might not +desire spirit. He gave them, once a year, a handsome dinner, at +which he presided himself. He encouraged them to read, and helped +them to obtain books. He had a singing master, and took care that +every one who had a voice should be taught to sing. He bought a +pianoforte for them, and had it put in a room in the factory, where +any one, who had time, and wished to play, could go and play upon +it; and he gave them a music teacher. + +He did every thing he could to make their life beautiful and happy. +He induced them to save a small sum every week from their wages, as +a fund to be used when any one died, or was sick, or was married, or +wanted particular aid beyond what his wages afforded. + +Henry's factory was the abode of industry, temperance, and +cheerfulness. The workmen all loved him like a brother. It was his +great object to show them that labor was an honorable thing, and to +make laborers as happy as he thought they ought to be. + +Henry was much interested in all that related to the United States +of America; and he was very angry at our slavery. He felt that +slavery brought labor into discredit, and his heart ached for the +poor slaves, who are cut off from all knowledge, all improvement. +Nothing excited in him such a deep indignation, nothing awaked such +abhorrence in his heart, as the thought of a man's receiving the +services of another without making adequate compensation; or the +idea of any man exercising tyranny over his brother man. + +Henry's workmen were the happiest and best in Hamburg. They loved +their employer with their whole hearts; there was nothing they would +not do for him. When his factory had been established twenty-five +years, the workmen determined to have a jubilee on the occasion, and +to hold it on his birthday. They kept their intention a secret from +him till the day arrived; but they were obliged to tell his +children, who, they knew, would wish to make arrangements for +receiving them in such a way as their father would approve of, if he +knew of it. + +It was summer time; and on Henry's birthday, at seven o'clock in the +morning, (for they knew their friend was an early riser,) a strain +of grand and beautiful music broke the stillness of the early hour, +and a long procession of five hundred men was seen to wind around +the house. + +The musicians, playing upon their fine wind instruments, and dressed +very gayly, came first. Then came those of his workmen who had been +with him twenty-five years; then his clerks and book-keepers; then +followed his other workmen, and then all the boys who were employed +in his factory. All wore black coats, with a green bow pinned on the +breast. + +They drew up in a circle on the lawn before his house; and five old +men, who had been with him for twenty-five years, stood in the +centre, holding something which was wrapped up in the Hamburg flag. +Now all the musical instruments played a solemn, religious hymn. +Immediately after, the five hundred voices joined in singing it. +Never did a truer music rise to heaven than this; it was the music +of grateful, happy hearts. + +When the hymn was sung, the book-keeper came forward and made an +address to his master, in the name of them all. In this address they +told Henry how happy he had made them; how much good he had done +them; how sensible they were of his kindness to them, and how full +of gratitude their hearts were towards him. They expressed the hope +that they should live with him all their lives. + +Now the old men advanced, and uncovered what they bore in their +hands. It was a fine portrait of their benefactor, in a splendid +frame. The picture was surrounded on the margin by fine drawings, +arranged in a tasteful manner, of all the various articles which +were made in his factory, views of his warehouses in Hamburg, of the +factory in which they worked, of his house in town, of the one in +the country where they then were, and of the old exchange, where he +used to stand when he sold canes and dust sticks. Then the old men +presented to him the picture, saying only a few words of respectful +affection. + +The good man shed tears. He could not speak at first. At last he +said, that this was the first time in his life that he regretted +that he could not speak in public; that if he had ever done any +thing for them, that day more than repaid him for all. They then +gave him three cheers. They now sang a German national tune, to +words which had been written for the occasion. + +The children, who, as I told you, knew what was to happen, had +prepared a breakfast for these five hundred of their father's +friends. All the tables were spread in the garden behind the house, +and Henry desired that all the store rooms should be opened, and +that nothing should be spared. + +After an excellent breakfast, at which the children of the good man +waited, the procession marched around to the fine music; and the +workmen, having enjoyed themselves all the morning to their hearts' +content, went to partake of a dinner which the family had provided +for them in a large farm house. Here they sang, and laughed, and +told stories till about eight o'clock in the evening, when they +returned by railway to Hamburg, in a special train which the +railroad directors ordered, free of expense, out of respect for +Henry. The railroad was behind Henry's house, and as the workmen +passed, they waved their hats and cheered him and the family till +they were out of hearing. + +The picture I had so much admired was a copy of this very picture +which the workmen had presented. The original was hung up in Henry's +drawing room, as his most valuable possession. No wonder his +daughter felt proud of that picture, and loved to show her copy of +it to her friends. Near it hung a likeness of his dear Agatha. She +was very beautiful. It was a pleasant thing to hear the daughter +talk of her father and mother. + +Thus did Henry live a useful, honorable, and happy life--the natural +result of his industry, perseverance, uprightness, and true +benevolence. Like Ben Adhem, he had shown his love to God by his +love to man. + +One of Henry's sons had come to this country, to set up a cane and +whalebone factory in New York. The father had aided him as far as he +thought best, but urged him to depend as far as possible upon his +own industry and ability. + +This son followed his father's example, and was very successful; but +was obliged, on account of the bad effects of our climate upon his +health, to return to his native land. The father, who was anxious to +visit the United States, and wished much to see his daughter again, +who was particularly dear to him, determined to come, for a while, +in his son's place. Henry thought also that his health, which began +to fail, might be benefited by a sea voyage. + +One reason why he wished much to visit America was, that he might +see, with his own eyes, the position of the laboring classes in the +Free States. Of the Slave States he never could think with patience. +His daughter told me that the only time when she had seen her father +lose his self-command, was when a gentleman, just returned from the +West Indies, had defended slavery, and had said that the negroes +were only fit to be slaves. Henry's anger was irrepressible, and, +although it was at his own table, and he was remarkable for his +hospitality and politeness, he could not help showing his +indignation. + +Nothing could exceed his delight at what he saw in this part of our +country. The appearance every where of prosperity and comfort; the +cheerful look of our mechanics and laborers; their activity; the +freedom and joyousness of their manners,--all spoke to him of a +free, prosperous, and happy people. + +He was only, for any long time, in New York, where his son's factory +was, and in Massachusetts, where his daughter lived. Unhappily his +health did not improve. On the contrary, it failed almost daily. +Still he enjoyed himself much. While in this part of the country, he +took many drives around the environs of Boston with his daughter, +and expressed the greatest delight at the aspect of the country, +particularly at the appearance of the houses of the farmers and +mechanics. + +He found, when in the city of New York, that attention to business +was too much for his strength; so he resolved to travel. "Nature," +he said, "will cure me; I will go to Niagara." + +He brought with him, as a companion and nurse, his youngest son, a +lad of fifteen years of age. The boy went every where with him. When +they arrived at Niagara, Henry would not go to the Falls with any +other visitors; he only allowed his son to accompany him. When he +first saw this glorious wonder of our western world, he fell on his +knees and wept; he could not contain his emotion. He was a true +worshipper of Nature, and he courted her healing influences; but he +only found still greater peace and health of mind; his bodily health +did not return. + +His daughter, who, like all Germans, held a festival every +Christmas, wrote to urge him to pass his Christmas with her at her +Massachusetts home; he was then in New York. He replied that he was +too ill to bear the journey at that season. The pleasure of the +thought of her Christmas evening was gone; but she determined to +make it as pleasant as she could to her husband and children, though +her thoughts and her heart were with her sick father. + +In the morning, however, a telegraphic message arrived from her +father, saying he would be with them at eight o'clock in the +evening. + +With the Germans, the whole family make presents to each other, no +matter how trifling; but some little present every one receives. +Henry's little granddaughter was dressed in a style as fairy-like as +possible, and presented her grandfather with a basket of such fruits +as the season would allow of, as the most appropriate present for a +lover of Nature. A very happy evening the good man had with his +children. + +He was forced to return to New York. It was not many months after +that his daughter heard that he was very ill at Oyster Bay, where he +had gone to a water cure establishment. She went immediately to him, +and remained with him, nursing him, and reading to him, till he was +better, though not well. + +During this period, when he was able to bear the fatigue, his +daughter drove him in a gig round the neighboring country; and she +told me that such was his interest in the laborers, that he would +never pass one without stopping, and asking him questions about his +mode of working, &c. He could not speak English; but she was the +interpreter. + +At last he insisted upon his daughter's returning to her family. +There was something so solemn, so repressed, in his manner, when he +took leave of her, that she was afterwards convinced that he knew he +should never see her again; but he said not a word of the kind. + +His health grew worse; his strength failed daily; and he determined +to return to Germany, so as to die in his native land. He wrote to +his daughter, to ask her, as a proof of her love for him, not to +come to say farewell. She was ill at the time, and submitted with a +sad and aching heart. + +She had seen her dear, excellent father for the last time. He lived +to arrive in Hamburg. His workmen, when they heard of his arrival, +went to the vessel, and bore him in their arms to his country house, +where he died eight days afterwards. + +He showed his strong and deep love of nature in these his last +hours; for when he was so weak as to be apparently unconscious of +the presence of those he loved, he begged to be carried into his +garden, that he might hear the birds sing, and look upon his flowers +once more. + +When he knew he was breathing his last, he said to his children who +were standing around his bed, "Be useful, and love one another." + +His death was considered a public calamity in Hamburg. His workmen +felt that they had lost their benefactor and brother. His children +knew that life could never give them another such friend. + +His body was placed in the great hall, in his country house, and +surrounded by orange trees in full bloom. Flowers he loved to the +very last; and flowers shed their perfume over the mortal garment of +his great and beautiful soul. One after another, his workmen and his +other friends came and looked at his sweet and noble countenance, +and took a last farewell. + +In Germany, when a distinguished man dies, he is carried to the +grave on an elevated hearse decorated with black feathers and all +the trappings of woe; but Henry's workmen insisted upon carrying +their benefactor and friend to his last home in their arms. Their +sorrowing hearts were the truest mourning, the only pomp and +circumstance worthy of the occasion; and their streaming eyes were +the modest and unobtrusive, but most deeply affecting, pageant of +that day. All the inhabitants followed him, with mourning in their +hearts. Remembering Henry's love for flowers, his fellow-citizens +made arches of flowers in three places for his mortal remains to +pass under, as the most appropriate testimonial of their love. The +public officers all followed him to the grave, and the military paid +him appropriate honors. Three different addresses were delivered +over his body by distinguished speakers, and then hundreds and +hundreds of voices joined in singing a hymn to his praise written by +a friend. + +Henry made such an arrangement of his business, and left such +directions about it, as to make sure that his workmen should, if +they wished it, have employment in his factory for ten years to +come. He divided his property equally amongst his children, and +bequeathed to them all his charities, which were not few, saying +that he knew that his children would do as he had done, and that +these duties would be sacred with them. + +Such a life needs no comment. Its eloquence, its immortal power, is +its truth, its reality. + +Among the many beautiful things that were written in honor of Henry, +I have translated these as peculiarly simple and just. + + + + "ON THE GRAVE OF THE GOOD, GREAT MAN." + +"Henry--, a MAN in the best sense of the term, strong in body and +soul, with a heart full of the noblest purposes, which he carried +out into action, without show and with a child-like mind." + +"To the great Giver of all things thankful for the smallest gift. To +his family a devoted father. To his friends a faithful friend. To +the state a useful citizen. To the poor a benefactor. To the dying a +worthy example." + +"Why was this power broken in the prime of life? Why were the wings +of this diligent spirit clipped? Why were stopped the beatings of +this heart, which beat for all created things? Sad questions, which +can only find an answer in the assurance that all which God wills +for us is good." + +"Peace be with thee, friend and brother! We can never forget thee." + + Around their father's grave the children stand, + And mourning friends are shedding bitter tears; + With sorrowing faces men are standing here, + Whose tender love did bear him in their arms + In sickness once, and now once more in death, + Him who protector, friend, and helper was; + And many eyes whose tears he wiped away, + Are weeping at his narrow house to-day. + + When the frail vestments of the soul + Are hidden in the tomb, what then remains to man? + The memory of his deeds is ours. + O sacred death, then, like the flowers of spring, + Many good deeds are brought to light. + Blessed and full of love, good children + And true friends stand at his grave, + And there with truth loudly declare, + "A noble soul has gone to heaven; + Rich seed has borne celestial fruit; + His whole day's work now in God is done." + Thus speak we now over thy grave, + Our friend, now glorified and living in our hearts. + A lasting monument thou thyself hast built + In every heart which thy great worth has known. + + Yes, more than marble or than brass, our love + Shall honor thee, who dwellest in our hearts. + These tears, which pure love consecrates to thee, + Thou noble man, whom God has called away + From work which He himself has blessed,-- + These grateful tears shall fall upon the tomb + That hides the earthly garment of our friend. + + O, let us ne'er forget the firm and earnest mind + Which bore him swiftly onward in his course; + How from a slender twig he built a bridge + O'er which he safely hastened to the work + Which youthful hope and courage planned. + Think how the circle of his love embraced + His children and his children's children, all, + His highest joy their happiness and good. + + Think how he labored for the good of all, + Supporter, benefactor, faithful friend! + How with his wise and powerful mind + He served and blessed his native place! + His works remain to speak his praise. + How did his generous, noble spirit glow + With joy at all the good and beautiful + Which time and human skill brought forth! + He ever did the standard gladly gain + Which light, and truth, and justice raised; + And when his noble efforts seemed to fail, + Found ever in his pure and quiet breast a sweet repose. + + We give to-day thy dust to dust. + Thy spirit, thy true being, is with us. + Thou art not dead; thou art already risen. + Loved friend, thou livest, and thou watchest o'er us still. + Be dry our tears; be hushed our sighs; + Victor o'er death, our friend still lives; + Takes his reward from the Great Master's band. + Deep night has passed away. On him + Eternal morning breaks. He, + From the dark chamber of the grave, + Goes to the light of the All-holy One. + + Weep, weep no more! Look up with hope on high! + There does he dwell. He liveth too on earth. + The Master who has called him hence to higher work, + To-morrow will call us--perhaps to-day. + Then shall we see him once again. He, who went home + From earth in weakness and in pain, + Is risen there in everlasting joy and strength. + Till then we here resolve to live like him, + That we, like him, may die religious, true, and free. + + +When any little boy reads this true story of a good, great man, I +would have him remember that Henry began to be a good, great man +when only eight years old. Henry began by being industrious, +patient, and good humored, so that people liked to buy his sticks. +Then he was faithful and true to his father, and would not leave +him, not even for the sake of gaining some advantages. Henry used +all his faculties, and, by making his pretty canes, he got money, +not to buy sugar plums, but to pay for instruction. When he did +wrong, he took his punishment cheerfully, and did not commit the +same fault again. All the virtues which finally made him a good, +great man he began to practise when he was only eight years of age, +when he was really a little boy. + +I would have every little boy and girl who reads this story try to +imitate him. If he is poor, let him learn to do something useful, so +to earn money that may help his father and mother, and perhaps be +the means of giving him a better education. If he is rich, let him +seek to get knowledge, and let him remember those who have not as +much as he has, like little Eva, who taught Uncle Tom. Let him +remember that the selfish and the lazy cannot be truly happy; that +selfishness is its own punishment in the end; that no children and +no men are truly happy or truly good who do not obey the words of +the noble-minded Henry on his death-bed-- + + "Be useful, and love one another" + + + + +THE MIGHTY DEEDS OF ABC. + +A LETTER TO A LITTLE BOY FROM HIS AUNT. + + +MY DEAR FRANK: I was much pleased with your writing me a letter. If +you were to take a piece of paper, and do up some sugar plums in it, +and send it to me, I should eat up the sugar plums, and then there +would be nothing left but the piece of white paper; but if you take +a piece of paper, and mark on it with a pen some crooked and some +straight, some round and some long strokes, they tell me, though +they make no noise, that you love me, and they seem just like little +messengers from you to me, all with something to tell me of my dear +little Frank. + +Besides, after these messengers have spoken once, there they stand +ready to speak again as soon as I only look at them, and tell me the +same pleasant story the second time that they did the first. + +If I were to put them away in a safe place for forty years, and then +look at them, when you were beginning to be an old man, these +crooked scratches of your pen would still talk to me of little +Frank, as he was when I held him in my lap, and we used to laugh, +and talk, and tell stories together. + +Think, then, my dear Frank, how much better it is to be able to fill +a letter with these curious strokes to send to a friend than to have +bushels of sugar plums to send him. + +Did you ever think what curious things these little letters are? You +know the great Bible that you love to look at so much, and to hear +father read from. All the wonderful things related in it are told by +twenty-six little letters. + +It is they that tell you of the creation of the world, of the +beautiful garden called Eden in which Adam and Eve lived; they tell +you the sad story of their disobedience to God, and of their being +turned out of paradise. + +Then they tell you all about the Israelites, or Jews, as we call +them. In the same book, these twenty-six letters place themselves a +little differently, and tell you the story of Joseph and his +brethren that you were so much pleased with when your father read it +to you, and that of David and Goliath, that you like so much. + +Then these same wonderful story tellers relate to you the beautiful +history of Daniel; of that courageous, good man who chose rather to +be torn to pieces by wild beasts than not to pray every day to God, +and thank Him for His goodness; and how God preserved him in the +lion's den. + +The wonderful story of Elijah they also tell you, and many others. + +But last and most interesting and wonderful of all, my dear little +Frank, is the story of Jesus Christ and his friends called the +apostles. + +These little letters have never told such a beautiful and affecting +story as they tell you of that pure and spotless Being who was sent +by God to teach us our duty, and to show us the way to be happy +forever. + +No being ever existed on this earth who showed so much love and +tenderness, so much goodness and humility, so much wisdom and power +as did Jesus Christ. + +There, in that best of books, stand these little messengers, as I +call them, still speaking the very words of the blessed Saviour; +ready to comfort the poor and sorrowful; to teach patience and hope +to the sick; to instruct the ignorant; to reprove the wicked; and +inviting little children to come to his arms and receive his +blessing. + +Do you not want to know all that they can tell you of this great and +good Being? + +I could write you, my dear Frank, a letter so long that I fear you +would be tired of reading it, about these same wonderful little +figures; but now I dare say that you will think more of them +yourself, and that the little book with the corners rolled up which +contains your ABC will be more respectable in your sight. + +Perhaps you will, after thinking some time, ask who invented these +wonderful letters; and then, if you do really want to know, your +father will tell you all that is known about it, or, at least, all +that you can remember and understand. When you are old enough to +read about the history of letters, you will find books which will +make you laugh by telling you that there was a time when, if you +wanted to write "a man," you would have been obliged to draw the +picture of a man; and, as there was then no paper like ours, you +would have been obliged to take a piece of wood or bark to make the +drawing on; and so the same with every thing else. + +So you see, if you and I had lived at that time, and you had written +to me about your dog, your pleasant ride and the other things that +were in your letter, you would perhaps have been obliged to get a +man to bring me the letter, it would have been so clumsy, instead of +bringing it yourself, folded neatly in your nice little pocket book; +and as for my letter, only think how much room it would have taken +up. + +You will say, "Why, aunt, letters are not only better than sugar +plums, they are better than dollars." + +Indeed they are, my dear Frank. The knowledge that they can give, +the blessing they can bestow, is better and more valuable than all +the silver and gold in the whole world; for they can teach us what +is wisdom and happiness; they can teach us the will of God. + +I love to think, too, of what pleasant messages they can carry +backwards and forwards between friends, and that in a few hours +these curious, handy little things will appear before you, my dear +little Frank, and tell you what I have just been thinking about, and +that I always love you, and am ever + +Your affectionate AUNT. + + + + +WHAT DAY IS IT? + + +It is so still that, although it is midday, one can hear the sound +of the soft spring shower as it falls on the young and tender +leaves. + +The crowing of the cock pierces the ear with his shrill note, as in +the silent watches of the night. The song of the wren is so +undisturbed, it is so full, and is heard so distinctly that it only +reminds one, with its sweet music, how unusual is the silence; it +does indeed seem but the "echo of tranquillity." + +There are many people in the streets, but they have a different +appearance from usual; they are all dressed in their holiday +garments; they look happy, but they are very calm and serious. The +gentle shower does not seem to disturb them; it only affords an +opportunity for reciprocal kindness. + +I see a venerable-looking old lady who from infirmity is obliged to +walk very slowly. She is supported by a bright, rosy-cheeked girl +who holds up the umbrella, and keeps back her light and joyous step +to the slow time of her aged companion. + +An elegant-looking woman is leading, with great care and tenderness, +a little girl through the mud. The lady puts her umbrella so low +that the rain is kept from the child, but it falls upon her own gay +clothes. The little girl must be that lady's daughter. But see! they +stop at the door of yonder miserable-looking house. The lady cannot +live there, surely. She gives the child a little book. The little +girl enters alone. I see her now in the house. She is the daughter +of the poor, sick woman who lives there. + +There is a trembling old man tottering along: he looks a little like +Tipsy David, as the boys call him; but he has on a clean and +respectable suit of black, and a weed on his hat; he is quite sober, +but it is David; and one of the very boys that have laughed at and +abused him when intoxicated, now respectfully offers him an +umbrella. + +A fashionable young man is gallanting a lady with the greatest care +and most delicate respect; she must be his sister, or the lady he is +engaged to marry, he is so careful to shelter her from every drop of +rain. No, I see her enter her door; it is my good neighbor, Miss--; +she is one of the excellent of the earth, but she is poor, old and +forsaken by all but the few who seek for those whom others forget. +She has no beauty, no celebrity; there is no eclat in noticing her; +there are those who will even laugh at him for his attention to her. + +Stranger than all, there are two men, violent opponents in religion +and politics, walking arm in arm with each other. The Calvinist +extends to him whom he considers his erring brother a kindness as if +to a dear friend; for the Universalist is sick, and the Calvinist +tries to protect him from the shower while exposing himself; see, he +takes off his own cloak and puts it on him. + +What does all this mean? Whence is this holy stillness? What day is +it? + +It is the Lord's day! All these people are returning from the house +of prayer. It is this thought that makes the laughing girl restrain +her gayety, and teach her steps to keep time with her infirm old +friend. + +The sinful old man abstains from his vicious habit out of reverence +for this holy day; he has lost his son too; and sorrow and the +weight of an evil conscience have driven him to the mercy seat; and +they who despised his drunkenness respect his misery. + +The lady who led the little child so tenderly to its poor mother's +door is a teacher in the Sunday school; the book she gave tells of +the wisdom and goodness of God; she has awakened in her little +pupil's soul that princi-pie which shall never die, and taught her +to be a messenger of peace and joy to her poor, sick mother. + +It is the influence of this blessed day that makes the usually +frivolous and thoughtless prefer a work of charity to the +gratification of vanity. + +It is the Sabbath day, with its calm and elevated duties and holy +repose, that subdues animosity, lays the restless spirit of vanity, +checks habitual vice, and awakens all the charities and sweet +courtesies of life. + +This is the true rest of the Sabbath; the rest from vanity, from +contention, from sin. This is the true preaching, the practice of +Christian duties, the performance of works of love, the exercise of +the holiest affections of our nature. This is the true service of +God; doing good to His human family. This is the true knowledge of +Him, "that we love one another." + +Doubtless the instructions from the pulpit do, in many instances, +enlighten the ignorant, quicken the languid and the cold-hearted, +and alarm or persuade the sinful and the erring; and, on this +account alone, the day is a great good, and should be welcomed. +However, were any one doubtful of the blessing that attends it, I +would not reason with him, but I would, if it were possible, lead +him, when he knew not what day it was, where he could witness, as I +have, such a scene as I have just described; and when he exclaimed, +"What does it all mean? What day is it?" I would simply answer, "It +is the Sabbath day." + + + + +THE CHILD AT HER MOTHER'S GRAVE. + +[TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.] + + + In that little room of thine + Sweet sleep has come to thee. + Ah, mother! dearest mother mine! + O, call me to that room of thine; + O, shut it not from me. + + + I would so gladly be with thee, + And be thy child again. + 'Tis cold and stormy here with me. + Tis warm, and O, so still with thee. + O, let me, let me in. + + + Thou took'st me gladly once with thee, + So gladly held'st my hand! + O, see! thou hast forsaken me. + Take me, this time, again with thee + Into the heavenly land. + + + + + EVENING PRAYER. + + Thou, from whom we never part; + Thou, whose love is every where; + Thou, who seest every heart, + Listen to our evening prayer. + + + Father, fill our souls with love; + Love unfailing, full, and free; + Love no injury can move; + Love that ever rests on thee. + + + Heavenly Father, through the night + Keep us safe from every ill. + Cheerful as the morning light, + May we wake to do thy will. + + + + +THE SABBATH IS HERE. + +[FROM KRUMACHER.] + + The Sabbath is here. It is sent us from Heaven. + Rest, rest, toilsome life. + Be silent all strife. + Let us stop on our way, + And give thanks, and pray + To Him who all things has given. + + + The Sabbath is here. To the fields let us go. + How fresh and how fair, + In the still morning air, + The bright golden grain + Waves over the plain! + It is God who doth all this bestow. + + + The Sabbath is here. On this blessed morn, + No tired ox moans, + No creaking wheel groans. + At rest is the plough. + No noise is heard now, + Save the sound of the rustling corn. + + + The Sabbath is here. Our seed we have sown, + In hope and in faith. + The Father He saith + Amen! Be it so! + Behold the corn grow! + Rejoicing his goodness we'll own. + + + The Sabbath is here. His love we will sing, + Who sendeth the rain + Upon the young grain. + Full soon all around + The sickle will sound, + And home the bright sheaves we will bring + + + The Sabbath is here. In hope and in love, + We sow in the dust, + While humbly we trust, + Up yonder, shall grow + The seed which we sow, + And bloom a bright garland above. + + + + +TO A BUTTERFLY. + +[FREE TRANSLATION FROM HERDER.] + + Airy, lovely, heavenly thing! + Butterfly with quivering wing! + Hovering, in thy transient hour, + Over every bush and flower, + Feasting upon flowers and dew, + Thyself a brilliant blossom too. + + + Who, with rosy fingers fine, + Purpled o'er those wings of thine? + Was it some sylph whose tender care + Spangled thy robes so fine and fair, + And wove them of the morning air? + I feel thy little throbbing heart. + Thou fear'st, e'en now, death's bitter smart + + + Fly little spirit, fly away! + Be free and joyful, thy short day! + Image, thou dost seem to me, + Of that which I may, one day, be, + When I shall drop this robe of earth, + And wake into a spirit's birth. + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Pedler of Dust Sticks, by Eliza Lee Follen + diff --git a/old/pdlrd10.zip b/old/pdlrd10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c58ce94 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/pdlrd10.zip |