The Christmas Tree and Other Christmas Tales. Sarah P. Doughty

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ it, Georgie!” exclaimed Willie, laughing: “it has got your new book in it.”

      “My new book!” said Georgie: “it must be a very small one, then. O Willie, what a beautiful gold dollar!” he exclaimed, as he took off the cover. “Do you mean to give all this to me?”

      “Yes, Georgie: it is to buy the book that you want so much.”

      “You are very kind, Willie! I shall be so happy to have that book! I wish I could walk to the bookstore, and I would go for it this minute.”

      “I can go,” replied Willie. “Mother gave me leave; and, when I come back, we will read the book, Georgie, and I will tell you all about my presents; for I can stay with you a while.”

      Georgie was very glad to hear this; and Willie took the gold dollar, and ran joyfully away.

      He very soon returned, with the much-wished-for book in his hand.

      “Here it is, Georgie,” he said; “and here is a half-dollar in change: that is enough to buy another book, if you wish.“

      “But I think you ought to keep the half-dollar, Willie. This book is enough for you to give me. I am sure I am very much obliged to you.”

      “Oh, no, Georgie! I meant to give you the whole dollar. Shall I run back to the bookstore, and buy another Rollo book? There are a great many different kinds.”

      Georgie thought for a moment; and then he said,—

      “No, Willie: I think it would not be right. I have my new map, my gimlet, and this pretty book: I am very happy to have such beautiful presents. And now, if you are so kind as to give me this half-dollar, I should like to buy something to give to some one who is not so happy as I am.”

      “That is right, Georgie,” said Willie. “Father says we should always be willing to share our blessings with others. But what will you buy, Georgie?”

      “There is a little girl in the other part of this house,” replied Georgie, “who has been ill for a long time. Her mother is poor, and cannot buy her many nice things, such as sick people need. I think I should like to buy some nice grapes with the half-dollar, and give them to her for Christmas.”

      “Oh, yes, Georgie!” exclaimed Willie. “She will like them, I am sure: for once, when I was ill, my mother bought a bunch of grapes for me; and they tasted so good!”

      Georgie’s mother now came into the room; and Georgie showed her the book, and asked her if he could buy grapes for the sick girl with the half-dollar. She was quite willing, and said that she was going out for a little while, and would take the money, and buy the grapes.

      “And please come home before Willie goes away, mother,” said Georgie; “for I want him to go with me to give Mary the grapes.”

      Georgie’s mother said she would not stay long; and then she put on her bonnet and shawl, and went away, while the two little boys amused themselves very pleasantly with the new book and the map. Willie also told Georgie about his Christmas-gifts, and promised to bring the humming-top to show him the next time that he came.

      Very soon Georgie’s mother came, with a paper containing some beautiful bunches of white grapes; and Georgie took his crutches, which he was obliged to use in walking, and, asking Willie to bring the grapes, he led the way to the part of the house where little Mary and her mother lived.

      They found the little sick girl lying upon a small cot-bed. Every thing was very neat and clean about her; and although she looked very pale and sick, yet her countenance was cheerful and pleasant; and she smiled sweetly when she saw the little boys.

      “I wish you a merry Christmas, Georgie,” she said; “and I am very glad you have come to see me; for I have something so beautiful to show you! Please, mother, bring it to me.”

      Her mother brought a tumbler containing a pretty little bunch of flowers, and held it close to Mary.

      “Only look, Georgie!” continued the little girl, as she stretched out her small, white hand, and gently touched the flowers; “are they not beautiful? The kind doctor who comes to see me sometimes sent them to me for Christmas. They smell so sweet!”

      “They are beautiful, Mary,” said Georgie. “I am very glad that you have got them; and Willie and I have brought you something for Christmas, too.”

      As he spoke, he took the paper of grapes from Willie’s hands, and gave it to Mary’s mother, saying,—

      “Will you please to put a bunch upon a plate, and give them to Mary?”

      “O Mary! this is just what I have wanted to give you when your mouth is so hot and parched,” exclaimed her mother. “I am sure we thank you very much, Georgie.”

      “Willie gave me the money,” replied Georgie. “He gave me a gold dollar to buy a book: but it cost only half a dollar; and so we could buy grapes for Mary.”

      “They are very nice,” said the little girl, as her mother carefully removed the skin from one of the grapes, and placed it in her mouth. “I thank you, Georgie; and I thank Willie, too: I am glad he came to see me.”

      “I will come again, Mary,” said Willie, going up to the bedside: “and I will bring you one of my boxes of guava jelly; for I had two in my Christmas stocking. Sick people can eat guava jelly; and you will like it, I am sure.”

      Mary’s mother did not like to have the little girl talk long at one time: so Georgie and Willie bade her good-by, and went away; and very soon it was time for Willie to go home.

      His mother was much pleased to hear about his visit; and she said, “Your gold dollar has made several people happy,—has it not Willie?”

      “Yes, mother. It made grandpa happy to give it to me; and it made me happy to give it to Georgie; and then Georgie was happy to give the grapes to the little girl; and she and her mother were both happy to have them. I am glad that my gold dollar has given so many people pleasure, mother.”

      “And I am glad also, Willie. It is good to love to share with others the blessings which the Lord gives to us.”

      The Thanksgiving Party.

       Table of Contents

      “Oh, mother, mother!” exclaimed Lucy Welford, as she bounded into her mother’s room, one bright, frosty morning in November, “Uncle John is in the parlor, and he has come to ask you if he may take Mary and me home with him to pass Thanksgiving. O, please, mother, let us go. Thanksgiving in the country is so delightful, much more so than in the city. Such fine sleigh-rides, and such grand slides on the pond.”

      “And the delicious pumpkin pies, and the roast turkeys, and the bowls of sweet milk and cream,” continued Mary, who had followed her sister to hear their mother’s decision. “Oh, it will be so pleasant. And only think, mother, Uncle John is going to have a large party—a regular feast—he says; and Aunt Clara thinks that Lucy and I can assist her very much if you will be so kind as to let us go.”

      “Very well,” СКАЧАТЬ