قراءة كتاب The Pansy Magazine, January 1886
تنويه: تعرض هنا نبذة من اول ١٠ صفحات فقط من الكتاب الالكتروني، لقراءة الكتاب كاملا اضغط على الزر “اشتر الآن"
saw her out with an old shawl over her head."
Just then the second bell rang and Gracie was obliged to go and get ready for breakfast. Other surprises awaited her, but she was unusually thoughtful, and at last Louise said, "Gracie, what makes you so sober? Are you not satisfied?"
"O, yes; but I am thinking what I can give to a little girl who has nothing to make her happy to-day."
"I don't believe there are any such people," said Louise; "everybody manages to get about so much out of something, I guess. They may not have just what we have, but there's something."
"Do you believe that?" asked cousin Tom.
"Maybe not exactly, but there's no use in making a child like Gracie miserable over what she can't help," replied Louise, in a low tone.
"But she can help a little."
"I am going to help," said Gracie earnestly, having caught the drift of Tom's question. "I have made up my mind what I shall send the little girl cousin Tom told me about."
"Suppose I should take you to see her?"
"I should like that! If mamma will let me go."
"I think she will. Auntie, will you let me have Gracie for an hour this morning? I will take good care of her."
"O, mamma!" expostulated Louise, "he is going to take her among his poor people! She will be sure to get a fever or something!"
"I am going to take you, too," said Tom; "and I am not going to take either of you into any dangerous places."
Louise arched her eyebrows as she replied, "Going to take me! We'll see." But she went. She generally did whatever Tom suggested.
I am not certain whether it was the package of warm clothing, the basket containing the Christmas dinner, the toys which Gracie had packed, not forgetting a bead necklace, or the presence of the beautiful child and lovely young lady in that home, that brought the most of happiness upon that Christmas day to the sad heart of Karl Ritter and his lonely little girl. But this I do know, that the visitors carried away as much happiness as they brought, for Gracie declared it was the nicest Christmas she had ever spent, and even Louise confessed that there was a new joy in her heart that day, for she had tested the truth, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
GEORGIE AND JACK.
Of all beautiful, helpless things!
She lay like a wounded sea-bird
With motionless, snow-white wings.
Day after day had she lain there
With never a sail in sight;
A cloudless sky above her
Morning and noon and night.
Precious and rare was the cargo
Hidden deep in her hold,
To be borne to a Northern market
And changed into yellow gold.
But naught was that to the captain
Pacing the hot deck there,
To the little wife who was with him,
And the child with his sunny hair,
The child who under the awning
Lay moaning his life away,
The child who was going to leave him
Ere the close of that weary day.
There was another on that good ship
Whose race was nearly run,
A bronzed and grizzled sailor
Who would die ere the set of sun.
And they two had loved each other—
The sailor old and gray,
And dear little baby Georgie
Whose life was a summer day.
Was it only a childish fancy—
Or because he was worn and sad
That the sinful, weary pilgrim
Had been loved by the little lad?
A weak voice calls the captain:
"Papa, won't you please come here?"
"I am here—I am listening to you,
What is it, Georgie dear?"
"Papa, I want to see Jack,
And Jack wants to see me so—
Mamma says I am going to leave you,
I must see him before I go.
"Jack says that he has been wicked,
But I have been wicked too;
I think if God forgives me
He'll forgive him too, don't you?
"I taught him the prayer our Saviour said
And my last best little hymn,
And I think Jack is sorry,
So I sha'n't worry for him.
"But, papa, if they could bring him
And lay him down here by me,
And I might keep fast hold of his hand,
I could take him to Heaven with me."
They brought the grim old sailor
Whose life was so sad and wild,
And laid him under the awning
By the side of the little child.
When the sun passed his meridian
Little Georgie went away;
The old man lived till round and red
He dipped at the close of day.
But ere he went his faltering tongue
This prayer sent up from the sea:
"For Georgie's sake—for the sake of Thy Son,
Be merciful to me!"
They treasured the small white body
With its quiet little feet,
But they gave to the brown old sailor
A sailor's winding-sheet.
There came at length a blessed breeze
That filled the limp white sail
And tightened the creaking halyards
With the strength of a fair fresh gale.
So it came to pass as all things do,
That one fair and sunny day,
Proud and staunch in the harbor
The ship at her anchor lay.
But the captain bent to the sad white face
That rested against his arm,
And said, "Dear wife, little Georgie
Is safe from all sin and harm;
"His life was bright and beautiful,
With nothing its joy to dim,
He gladdened the heart of a sinful man,
And—'took him to Heaven with him.'
"We will bury his dust, little mother,
Under the trees at home,
But Georgie beholds the face of Him
Who said: 'Let the children come.'"
Emily Baker Smalle.
