FRITZ DEAD, YET LIVES.
The next day, after the children had finished their lessons, Mrs. Payson
said, "I will tell you a little story, showing how a child can do much
good.
"Many years ago, I knew a little boy who could not walk. His nurse let
him fall, when he was a baby, and hurt his back, so that he grew out of
shape, and could not stand on his feet.
"The little boy's name was Fritz Ritter. His parents lived in a pleasant
home, and did all they could to make their darling lame boy happy.
"They taught him to read, and write, and to draw pictures.
"But Fritz said, 'That is not enough. I have dear friends, who do every
thing for me. Now, I must do something too.'
"His father kept a man to draw him about in a little wagon; so Fritz
knew all the streets in town, and visited the machine-shops and mills
to see how things are made. Almost every one looked kindly on his sweet,
pale face, and wherever he went the people would talk with him and show
him what he wished to see.
"As he rode about the city he saw many poor houses, and hungry and
ragged children.
"One night, when his mamma laid him in his little bed, she saw that he
was sad and quiet.
"'What is the matter with my little boy to-night?' she asked.
"'I have seen so many poor little children on Stone Alley to-day,' said
Fritz, 'who were ragged and dirty, I wished they had good homes and
good mammas.'
"'I am sorry for all poor little children who are ragged and hungry,'
said Mrs. Ritter. 'But, as we can not give them pleasant homes we must
do what we can for them; for you know Christ says, "The poor ye have
always; and whensoever ye will, ye may do them good."'"
"Fritz turned his face away and shut his eyes as though he was tired.
But he was not tired; he was only thinking.
"He had stopped many times at a little shop, in the edge of town, where
baskets were made; a man, and a woman, and several children worked
there, and they made many kinds of baskets; some of them very fine and
pretty.
"Fritz had sat in the shop a long time that day, and he asked the man if
he might come every day, and learn to make baskets.
"Now, in his little bed, with his eyes shut, he was thinking how he
would make them and sell them for money to help poor children.
"The next morning Fritz told his mamma what he had been thinking about.
"She was pleased with his plan; for she thought it would amuse her
darling little lame boy.
"Fritz went to the basket-maker's shop all Summer, and by the time cold
weather came he could make very beautiful baskets. Some merchants in
town sold them for him, and by Christmas time he had laid up several
dollars, which he said he should give to poor widow Wilcox, who looked
sick and pale, and had two children.
"Mrs. Ritter gave Fritz a little room at home for his shop; and his papa
put into it all the materials necessary for making baskets; and there
Fritz spent several hours every day at his work.
"He was happy and said, 'Now I am of some use, as I can help to make
others good and happy.'
"Widow Wilcox and her children had food, and a fire, and clothes in the
cold Winter weather; and it was the little pale-faced lame boy who gave
them to her.
"Jim and Dora Wilcox learned their books because Fritz wished them to do
so. They would not play any more with bad children on the streets,
because Fritz told them they must not. And when Jim promised that he
would try to remember and not use any more naughty words, Fritz told him
he would give him all the books he would read to Dora and his mother.
"Finally, Jim went every day to Fritz's little shop, and learned to make
baskets. He was so handy that, by the time another Christmas came, he
was able to carry to his mother money that he had himself earned.
"Fritz was about ten years old when he began to make baskets. The Lord
allowed him to live only two years longer; but, in that time, many poor
children loved him, and thanked him for his kindness. When he died many
tears were shed in the alleys and back streets, where the dear
pale-faced boy had tried to make others good and happy.
"Little children went in a great company, when he was buried, and threw
flowers into his grave.
"We believe that when Fritz's gentle spirit left his poor, crooked body,
it went to the happy land, to grow in beauty forever. But he is not
forgotten on earth; and now, many years after, there are those who
bless the dear little lame boy."
"Did you know him, mamma?" asked Rebecca, with tears in her eyes.
"Yes," said Mrs. Payson. "It was when I was a young girl that I attended
the funeral of little Fritz.
"Mr. Wilcox, who keeps the great store of baskets in town, where you
have sometimes stopped with me to see how beautiful they are, is the
little Jim whom Fritz taught to be good and useful.
"He has always taken tender care of his mother, who is now so old she
remembers but little; but if you ask her about Fritz she will talk a
long time about him, whom she calls 'God's dear child.'"
"Your true story, mamma, is better than made-up ones," said Joshua, as
he walked away to the window.
"When I look at my little work-basket, mamma," said Rebecca, "that you
bought of Mr. Wilcox, I shall think of Fritz, and the basket will help
me to be good."
"So you see, my darling," said Mrs. Payson, "when our bodies are turning
to dust in the ground, the deeds which we did may be helping others to
be good or bad."