The Golden Coin

It was ttie morniDg of a New Ycar, that liad just set in, bright golden and beautiful. The sun glistened like raiment in the cloudless sky. The chiming of silvery sounds of bella struck jojfully on the cars of the listener, in every street The air was culd, though not piercing, braeing, though uot biting ; just cold enough, iu truth, to diffuse life and elastieity into every one that moved. There was a little child - a child of poverty, on that New Ycar's morning walking in the streets with the gay crowd that swept past her. Her little feet had grown so numb, encascd only in thin shoes, and those badly worn, that she could but with difficulty move one bêfore the other. Her cheeks shook at every step, and her lips looked truly purple. Alas! poor Eisie Gray ! She was a poor little beggar child ! Just like the old was the new year to her, Just like the last year's wants, and last year's sufferings, were the wants and sufferiDg8 of this ! The chaDge of the year brought no ohange of hor condition with it. She was poor, her mother was a widow and an invalid, and the child was a poor, poor beggar ! In the old and cheerless room gleamed no bright fires of anniversary. No overgreens, no wreaths, no flowers, save a few old withered ones, deeked the time stained walls. There was no sound of merry voices within the doors to say to the widow Gray : " A happy New Year to you, Mrs. Gray."- Heaven seemed to have wallud her and her abode out from the happiness that was all the world's on that festire day of the year. It had providcd, to all appearances, no eongratulations, no ter, co smiles, no flowers for thera. - Why ? Were they outcasts ? Had they voluntarily shut themselves out from the sunlight of living creatures around them? Mrs. Gray was poor. Littlo Elsie stoppcd at times and brcathed her hot breath upon her be numbed fingers, and stamped her tiny feet in their casements with all the force left in them, and then big tears stood trenibling in her large bluo eyes for a moment, and then roíled slowly down her purplo chceks as if they would frecze them. She had left her mothcr in bed sick, exhausted and famishing. What wonder that shc cried, even though those hot tears only dripped on the cold pavement. They might as well fall there as clsewhere ; the many humau hearts that passed her were full as iey and hardeued. She would have turned back to go home had she not thought again of her poor mother, and she went on, though where to go she knew not. She was to become a street beggar. Where should strect beggars go ? What stroets are laid out and named and numbered for them ? Surely if not at home, then whero should they go 'Í It was this thought that brought those crystal tears, that startled those irrepressible sobs that checked her instant utterance. A little boy - a bright looking fellow - chanced to pass her as she walked and wept in sobs. He oaught tho glitter of those tears in the sunshine, and the sight smote his heart. He knew not what want was. He had never knowa it himself - never once heard of them - knew not what a real beggar was. He stopped suddenly before Elsie, and asked the cause of those tears. She could ïnake no reply, her heart was too full. H Has anybody hurt you F" askod the little fellow. She ehook her head. " Have you lost your way ?" ho persisted. " What is the matter, then ?" he asked. "Mother is poor and sick, and I am cold and hungry. We have nothing to eat. Our room is quite cold, and there is no wood for us. Oh ! you do not know all." " But I will," replied tho manly boy. " Whero do you live ?" ' Will you go witli me ?" asked Elsie, lier face brightening. " Yes; let me go with you," said Le, "'show me the way." Through streef, lano and alley slie guided him. ïhey reached the door of the hovel. ïhe cold breath of tho wind winstled in the cracks and crevices and keyholes bcfore thora, ad if inviting them in. They entered, a sick woraan feebjy raiscd her head from the pillow, and gave her a sweet smile, " Elsie have you como ?" she faintly said. "Yes, mother," answered the child, " and I have brought this boy with me I do not know who he is, but he said he wantod t.o como and seo where we live. - Did I do wrong to bring him, mother ?" " No, my child," said the mother, "f he knows how to pity you from bis little heart ; but he cannot pity me, he is not old enough." The bright-faced, sunny heartcd boy gazed in astonishment ou the mother and child. The seene was new to him. He wondered if this was what they called poverty. His eycs looked sadly upon the wasting niothcr, but they glittored with wonder whcu turncd toward Elsie Suddenly they were fillcd with tears - The want and woc, the barrennoss anc desolation, werc all too much for him. - He shuddered at the cold, unooverec floor. He gazed mournfully into the firo place. His eyes wandered wondering]} over the naked walls, looking so uuinvitingly and cheerlcss. Putting his hand in his pocket, he grasped the coin that his niother had that vcry morning giveu him, and drew it forth. " You may have that," said he, holding it out to the child. " Oh, you are too good ! You are too generous, I fear," as if she ought not to take it. " Mother will give me another if I want," he said. " Tako it, tako it; you you shall take it !" and lie was instantly gone. It was a gold coin of the valuo of fiVe dollars. Mother and child wept togethcr. - Then they talked of the good boy who jad opeued lus heart for them on this New Year's day. Thea they let their 'ancies run and grow wild, and revol as they choso. They looked at Ihe glittering ieeo. There was bread, fuel, clothing, and every comfort its depths. Now they saw, within its rira, pietures of delight and joy; visions of smiling faces and ïappy children ; sounds of merry volees and the chiming musie of bells ; the aeent of innoeont tonguos, and the laugh f gladsoir.e hcárts. 2a ! "iuat a philoaophcr stone was' ihat coin. How it turned everything first into gold and then iuto Iiappincss ! How it grouped around kind and cheerful friends, and filled their ears with kiad voices. IIow it garlanded all the hours of that day with evcrgreeus and full blowu roses. How it spread them a laden table and crowded it witli mcrry gues.s, and those guests, too, all satisfied and happy. Oh, what bright rays shone forth from that trifling coin of gold. - Could it have been so bright in tho man's or the cbild's dark pocket ? No ; else it it had before thea burned its way thro', and lent its radiancc to others. Oould it have shone witli suoh visions in the riek man's hands ? No ; elso liis avarice would have vanished at once and lus hcait wonld have with glowed charity. - No, no ; it was ouly to the widow and her ehild that it were such a shoeu, and emitted such brilliant rays, aud revealed such sweet and welconie visious. Only. for such as they. The night returned this angel boy to the bleak house, fillcd with happiuess, and liglited with joy; but he was not alone, for his mother was with him. - Blessed boy ! He had passed the whole of New Year's day making others happy. And how much happier was he himseit ? How his littlo hcart warmed and glowed to see that little child uncover the baskst lio had brought with him, and take out one by oae the gifts which were stowed there ; and how overjoyed hc was to see bis mother oifer the siok womaa work and a new home, and to see the sick one suddeuly strong and almost well uuder the influence of kind oiEces. - JJe wondered if their happiness could sossibly be as deep as bis owu ; if this New Year was as bright to them as hiin. He knew not how any one could be any lappier than he was at that moment. Years have rolled away into the silent )ast. That little girl, Élsie Gray, is a ady. Not a lady ouly in name, but in deed, in heart, and iu conduct. She dwells in a surburban cottage, and her msband is wholly devoted to her. Her msband is none other than the generous boy who, on the New Year's festival accosted her so tenderly iu the street, and went home with her. Her poor mother sleeps quietly in the churchyard, yet she lived to know that God had provided for her child. She died resigned and happy. Are there coius of either gold or silver, that must bo locked away from siffht at