“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.”