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186
fused the wagon and declined
which would have hurt Tommy.” 5
“Yes, but I would have come three times as
to see him, and that without couxing.”
Thave heard since then from ‘the captain, and
the lieutenants, and the sergeant, and the corpo-
rals, and the “boys” in general. Some are march-
ing and camping, watching and fighting; some are
in the hospital, suffering and waiting. ave
heard, also, from Rose, who is hoping and toiling.
God bless them all! _ God bless every ntan who
helps to carry the Stars and Stripes on toward the
Southern Gulf! iod_ bless every woman who
weeps ‘and prays for those who have thus gone
from her hearthstone!. God bless our common
country, and restore her, through union and peace,
to her rank among the nations! ---......,
the compliment,
far
eo ime :
HE-WHO. SERVES GOD SERVES A GOOD
. MASTER.
-1. Remember, I must have the bridle on Monday,”
said Mr. Harcourt, as he turned to leave a shop
where he had been giving some orders about his
arness. .
“I beg your
ardon; sir,” said Mr. Benson, the
Reward, “but it will not be possi-
ble to get It done by Monday.” i .
.. “Not possible,” returned Mr. Harcourt, stopping
short. “‘What nonsense! Why, there is, all to-
, morrow.’ .
~ “To-morrow is Sunday, sir,” returned the shop-
man, firmly but respectfully. voy .
. -¢@Well, what of that?” .
“We do not work on a Sunday, sir.”
.. “Then I shall go to those who do. You can put
the bridle in the carriage,” added Mr.’ Harcourt,
turning to the man to‘whom he had given the
order. ot .
+ "We can get it done by Tuesday, sir, without
fail,” interposed Mr. Benson.
“Tuesday will be too late,” returned Mr. Har-
court, and then without another word, he stepped
out of the shop, and bidding the groom take the
bridle from the man, he got into his phaeton and
drove off, muttering to himself, “The old humbug!
I will make him repent his folly.” -
*. Mr. Benson watched the carriage till it turned
the corner of the street, then, with something like
a sigh, went back to his seat, and continued his
ork. Ife had‘ lost Mr. Harcourt’s custom—he
felt sure of that. And just now such employment
would have been invaluable¢o Mr. Benson. He
had had_some heavy losses in trade, followed by
sickness in his own family, and a little ready mone
coming in at this moment would have set him all
right again, It was a sore temptation that had just
tried him, no doubt about it; but, thanks be to
God, who giveth the victory, the temptation had
been conquered, and as Mr, Benson sat down to
is work again, it was with a tranquil feeling, as
he remembered that he who serves God serves a
good master, and may be content to look to Him
for his wages. . Le , boos
“It was some few hours after Mr. Harcourt had
left the shop that Mr. Wilcox, a clever, pushing
saddler, who lived in an adjoining street, came
bustling in, looking wonderfully elated.
. “Well, Benson,” said he, as he rubbed his hands
one over the other with uncommon glee, “you have
been and done it, that is all.” ~ “ve
‘ «Done what?” inquired Benson, as he looked
up quietly from his work, making a good guess,
however, as to his visitor’s meaning. velny
. “Knocked down your own luck with one hand,
and given it to me with the other.”
+ “You mean, I suppose, that Mr. Harcourt drove
on from my shop to yours.” * ee
; “Exactly; and I thought the least I could do
was to come and thank you, and tell you how
happy I should be to work for as many more as you
like to send.” : :
“I need not tell you I shall not send you those
that I can keep,” replied Mr. Benson, trying hard
not to show that he was annoyed: “but, God help-
' _ ing me, I will never go against my conscience—not
for any man nor for any money.” A
" Well, every one to his taste. ‘These are not
days to refuse good work when it is offered; and
&s to your scruples, they are all nonsense, just as
if there was any sin in putting a needle and thread
through a bit of leather on a Sunday. ,The better
the day the better the deed.” .
“ “Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath
day.’ Six days shalt thou labor, and do all that
thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sab-
bath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no
manner of work.’ They are plain words, and there
‘is no mistaking their meaning,”: said Benson,
quietly. pe oo
+ As Wilcox returned to his own shop, he thought
his neighbor a great fool, and himself a very clever
man. The Sunday was spent in executing Mr.
Harcourt’s order; the harness was sent home on
the Monday; the money was promptly -paid; a
fresh order was given, and Wilcox again congratu-
lated himself on his good luck.) 7°’ * 6
It was some weeks ‘afier, and they had been
weeks of great trouble to Benson, that another
carriage stopped at the door of his shop, a well-
appointed, dark green brougham, drawn by a com-
fortable, sleek-looking horse, and driven by a
coachman whose well-to-do appearance was quite
in keeping with that of the equipage. . ‘
Whilst Benson was wondering who his visitor
might be, the carriage door opened quickly, and a
fine-looking man got out and walked into the
shop, with an air of decision, as if he was‘ accus-
tomed to give his orders and be promptly obeyed.
_ Glancing round the shop with an eye bright wit!
lurking humor, he took in its arrangements, and
made his own estimate of the character of its pos-
“sessor. a
“So,” he said, turning to Benson, “you are the
impudent fellow who will not work on a Sunday.”
me Fortanately. for bimself, Benson was a goo
physiognomist. Looking up at his sisitor, he felt
sure that, however abrupt the words might sound,
Se
a
TIE YOUTHS
“I do not work ona Sunday, sir; but I hope it
oes not follow, as a necessary consequence, that I
am wanting in respect to my employers?” .
“Yes, it does, ma east, so my friend Hlar-
court says. He gives you but a bad character.”
“I am-sorry for it, sir,” began Bensou; but his
itor cut him short.
“Actually refused his order, and told him you
would not do his work ; do not you call that im-
pertinence 2”, ~
“I had no choice, sir.” -
“Yes, you had. You were free to choose be-
tween serving God and pleasing man, and you
made your choice; and it is in consequence of that
determination that Iam here to-day. I am Gen.
Downing. Ihave been looking out for some time
past for a man on whom I could fully rely to exe-
cute a large government order. The moment I
heard Mr. Harcourt’s story of you, I made up my
mind you should have the work if you could take
it; for I felt sure that the man who could serve
God so fearlessly would be the man who would
best do his duty by his neighbor.”
And as the General proceeded to detail to Ben-
son the nature of the order he proposed to give
him, Benson saw in a moment that such a prospect
of well-doing was opened to him as he had never
et had since he went into business. Nor was he
mistaken—that order Iaid the foundations of Ben-
son’s prosperity. ~
And so will it ever be, though it may not be al-
ways shown to us, as in the case of Benson, by the
increase of worldly prosperity.
2
. SCRAPS FOR YOUTH.
eee —++
THE KITTEN AND FALLING LEAVES.
See the kitten on the wall,
Sporting with the leaves that fall,
Withered leaves—one—two—and three—
lofty elder tree! :
one, and then its fellow, .
Jast as light, and just as yellow; :
now—now one—
Now they stop and there are none;
What intenseness of desire
In her upward eye of fire!
With a tiger-leap half-wa:
w she meets the coming prey,
Lets it go as fast, and thyn -
Vias it in her power again;
rks with three or four, _
‘ar beyond in joy of heart.
‘Were her antics played in the eye
Ofa thousand standers-by,
Clapping hands with shout and stare,
What would little Tabby care
For th udi crowd!
er own exceeding pleasure !
oO ILLIAM WorDSs WORTH,
For the Companion.
GRACIE’S EXAMPLE. |
{t was the afternoon before Thanksgiving, Lit-
tle Grace stood in the kitchen, viewing with much
complacency the tempting display of pastry which
stood cooling upon the table. - The preparation
for Thanksgiving was a novelty to her, for a year
formed a large fraction of her past life, and of pre-
vious Thanksgiving days she had no recollection.
Her busy little fingers had helped—at least she
thought they had—in the compounding of pies,
cake and pudding, and her reward lay before her
in the shape of a little cranberry pie, baked in a
tiny scolloped dish, with the letter G, made of
pastry, in the centre. As she stood admiring it,
there came a knock at the door, and then a voice
was heard. . i mo, i
“Please ma’am, have you any cold victuals to
give me ?” foo te 4s’
’ Bridget went to search the closet, and Gracie
began a conversation with the new comer by say-
ing, “Tanksgiving day to-morrer.” » - ped
“I know it,” returned the beggar, a girl perhaps
twice Gracie’s size, casting, at the same time, a
glance at the loaded table beside her. : . us
“We ‘goin’ to have lots nice things, Dat's
my pie, ’tause I helped. - G is for Gacie, for dood,
and for dirl,” said Gracie, displaying at one breath
her whole stock of literary acquirements. .
“I've got a sister Grace,” said the other; “she’s
sick now,” and there was a moment’s pause, when
i
Gracie began again, © | . : on
“You doin’ to have turkey to-morrer ?”
“No, we shan’t have any Thanksgiving. Mother
hasn’t bad any work ; 80 we shan’t have any.” |
‘Mrs. Arnold, wondering at the sound of voices,
had opened the dining-room door in time to hear
the girl’s story, and now she came out ‘and asked
her what was the matter with her sister.
“The dispensary. doctor said-she-was all ron
down, ma'am, and he said she needed nourishing
food more than medicines but when mother made
her some gruel, she didn’t eat but one spoonful ;
she said it made her sick.” bots ‘
no offence was intended, and so, with a smile, he
answered, respectfully, © 9° «
little wry face. »
i
-' “I don’t lite druel, neither,” said Gracie, with a
COMPANION. =
Mrs. Arnold told Bridget to put some bread and!
_ other things into the girl's basket, and then said |
she would go with her, and see what her mother |
needed most. oo . us
As she left the room for her bonnet and shawl,
Gracie followed, saying, in a loud whisper,
“Mamma, I give her my pie for her ‘ittle Ga-
cie - . .
“Pies are not good for sick people, darling,” re-
plied her mother. :
“Well—well—she have it to loot at, then.”
~ Her mother smiled assent, and Gracie’s fingers
trembled with eagerness as she placed the pie care-
_fully in the top of the basket.
_ Mrs. Arnold found, when she reached the poor
woman's abode, that her deughter had told the
truth"with regard to her mother and sister, and
hurrying. home, she sent a second basket filled
with flour, rice and sugar, a nice chicken, and at
the top of all, at little Gracie’s request, a large
squash pie. In the widow’s dwelling there was a
truer thanksgiving than in many a richer home.
14+ 1
For the Companion.
OLIO.~-- Number IT.
A SINGULAR STRUGOLE. -
“Where have you been, John?” said Mr. Rogers
to his son, as he entered the house, his face flushed
with heat, his pantaloons rolled up, and a small
basket in his hand. -
“J have been fishing, sir, and have had excellent
luck. I’ve caught eight perch, six ‘horn-pouts,’
and four pike. It was fun,” said the excited angler,
“Which of them bit the hardest?” laughingly
asked the father. oe ey
“Why, the pike. They darted at the bait as
though they hadn’t tasted anything in the way of
decent food for a month, and nearly carried line
and pole after them.” .
“They are very voracious, and the large ones eat
almost anything. One was caught in a river, and
when opened was found to contain: a watch with
two seals attached to it by a black ribbon.”
“What, a pike swallow a watch? He knew its
value, I guess, end wanted to take it to the pawn-
broker's,” replied John. “Was:it ever known
whose watch it was ?” - :
“The cook who took it from the stomach of the
fish opened the watch and found the maker’s name.
The watch had belonged toa gentleman’s servant.”
“But how came it in the water?”
“Why, the servant was unfortunately drowned
some six weeks before, and at the time had this
watch in his pocket. It probably fell out, and its
brightness attracted the pike, who darted at it and
swallowed it instantly.”
“That’s a good fish story, sir. Can you tell an-
other ?”
“Yes; here is one, A young fox was drinking
out of the river Arnus, in Italy, when a large pike
sprung at him and seized his head in its mouth,
The sharp teeth were fixed so firmly in. the skin of
the fox that the pike could not relax its hold. A
|. struggle began. The fox was drawn into the river,
but fought desperately for deliverance. “A young
man who happened to be passing at the time saw
the singular contest, rushed into the water, and
made them both captives. Prone
“. As the palace of the Duke of Florence was near,
the young man concluded to take them there, hop-
ing the duke would purchase both fish aiid fox, and
be interested in the story of their capture. When
he arrived at the gate, the porter would not admit
him until he promised to give him half of what he
might receive from the duke. The young man felt
that this was exceedingly unjust, and determined
to retaliate. So after yielding to the oppressive
demand and making the promise, he passed on’ to
the palace. oe .
' “He related the story of the fox and fish, and
then presented both to the duke. His highness
was interested in the narrative and delighted with
the present.’ He then offered the young-man a
handsome reward.” .
* “I thank your highness,’ said the young man,
‘but cannot accept your generous offer. This is
what I wish you would do. Order’ me to receive
‘a hundred lashes, for your covetous porter made
me promise to give him half of what I should re-
ceive from you, and it seems to me that he de-
serves fifty lashes, well laid on. They would do
him good.’”
‘The’ duke was amused with’ the young man’s
humor, and ingenious manner of securing punish-
ment for the injustice done him. Ie, however, in-
- sisted upon his taking the reward, and ‘then he
‘punished the porter in his own way.” .
vue “a . -f wt
et
| “SAVE MY FATHER |:
_ The following most touching incidents are related
‘of the efforts'to procure 'a pardon for Dr. Wright,
who was lately’ executed for shooting a Lieutenant
at Norfolk, Va.: © a :
"” His little daughter accompanied her mother ‘to
Old Point Comfort, on a visit to Gen. Foster, com-
the General, and putting up her sweet, innocent
face, said, with an earnest pathos that went to his
very soul, “Save my father, won't you?” The old
veteran melted beneath the pathetic entreaty of
guileless childhood. Emotion overcame him, and
he bowed his head, too full for utterance. Her lit-
tle brotber went up to Lieut. Roberts, and ap-
prouching him in a caressing manner, and looking
up into his face, said, “Can I not die for my fa-
ther.” But bright and unselfish as was their love
and filial devotion, the efforts of the little innocents
were unavailing, the law must take its course.
te
_ONE OF THE “CONTRABANDS.
“A correspondent of a New. York paper, writing
trom Virginia, gives us a story, from which we
learn what Dennis the contraband thinks of Jeff.
Davis and freedom. oo
« Aclarge number of, contrabands were located
here, at the time of my visit, in the employ of the
overnment. ‘They are happy and contented, and,
in spite of those theorists who seek to put the
negro on a level with the ourang-outang, they give
evidence of possessing some human feeling and
some human sense.
Ilere is a stout looking boy, eighteen or twenty
years of age. Call him up and get from him a lit-
tle of the story of his own sorrows and his opinion
on polities, for all these coritrabands have very de-
cided political convictions: - :
“Dennis, bow old are you 2”
“T doesn’t know.” .
“Don’t your father and mother know ?”
« “Father and mother sold to Missouri.”
“How long since they were sold?”
“Don’t know how long ago. I was only half as
big as I am now.”
“Do you remember it?”
“O yaas!” (shaking his head sorrowfully,)
‘members dat. "T'was on a Friday morning.”
Poor. boy! He knew nothing ‘of the year, but
that “Friday morning” he could not forget. It
was plainly marked in memory’s callendar as a
ar’ y a
‘Did your mother cry when she left you ?”
“She didn’t know she was gwine to be sold when
she left ine. She went away to do something for;
massa, and she neber come back.”
“Did you ery ?”
“O yaas. But crying didn’t bring her back.
“Well, Dennis, she’s free now in Missouri.”' + ‘
» “L knows dat.” . .
+} “And you are free here.” X
“T knows dat, too.” .+ ‘ :
“To your people all know it 2” a
“O yaas, dey all know it. We was all waitin’
for de Union people, a good while before dey come.
We used to talk about it.”
“Did your masters know you talked about it?”
“No, dey would ha’ killed us if dey knew it?
. “Dennis, do you know that Jeff. Davis. has
promised to free the slaves if they will fight for
im Pr tr
“Yaas, I heard about it.”
wip bat do you think of it ?” i
“I tinks Old Jeff. be done squashed and
before he can do ad" “ a
Dennis js certainly a
is mode of expressing
than elegant.”
isco
9 /A GHOST sTORY. .
At the “Crow Inn,” at Antwerp, some years ago,
a white spectre was seen bearing a lamp in one
hand and a bunch of keys in the other. ‘This un<
Pleasant visitor was seen by a variety of travellers
Passing along a corridor.’ a)
Nothing would satisfy the neighbors that an un-
fortunate traveller had not been at some period or
other dispatched in that fatal room by one of the
revious landlords of the house. The hotel grad-
ually obtained the name of the “Haunted Tnn,” and
ceased to be frequented by its old patrons. |. «.
The landlord finding himself én the brink of
ruin, determined to sleep in the haunted room,
with a view of proving the groundlessness of the
story. To make the matter more sure, as he said
he\caused the hostler to bear him company, on
pretence of requiring a witness to the absurdity of
the report; but in reality, from cowardice, At
dead of night, however, just as the two men were
composing themselves to sleep in one bed—leay-
ing another which was in the room untenanted—
the door flew open, and in glided the white spectre!
Without pausing to ascertain what it might ate
tempt on approaching the bed, toward which it
directed its course, the two men rushed naked out
of the room, and by the alarm they created, con-
firmed more fully than ever the evil repute of the
«]
a
bis
Philosopher, even though
is ideas is more forcible
house. =: moa meg
Unable longer to sustain the ‘cost of s0 unpro-
ductive an establishment, the poor landlord adver-
tised for sale the house in which he and his father
before him were born and had passed their lives.
But bidders were as scarce as customers! the inn
remained for sale for nearly a year, during which,
from time to time, the spectre Yeappeared... .)
At length an officer of the ‘garrison, who had
formerly frequented the house, moved to compas=
ston in favor of the poor host, undertook to clear
up the mystery b: sleeping in the aforesaid cham-
ber, nothing doubting that the whole was a trick
of some envious neighbor, desirous of deteriorat-
ing the value of the freehold in order to become a
purchaser, * -* bites pe
His offer having been gratefully accepted, the
captain took up his quarters in the fatal room, with
"| a bottle of wine and a brace ‘of loaded pistols on
the table before him, determined to fire at what-
ever object might enter the room. .
tthe usual hour of midnight, accordingly, the
door flew open, and the white spectre, beating ‘a
lamp and a bunch of keys, made its appearance.
He seized both pistols, when, fortunately, as his
finger was upon the point of touching the trigger,
he perceived that the apparition was no other than
manding the department, and during the confer-
; ence the little girl clambered up on the knees of
the daughter of his host, a young and pretty girl,
evidently walking in her deep. Preserving the
one ve
»
t
AOS
ee ernie
Co ee
CTE The ne I
