Lessons in Life, For All Who Will Read Them
by
T.S. Arthur
Part 4 out of 4
widow and her children. It is keen and frosty without; and her
eldest boy has just come home from his work, shivering with cold.
While he is warming himself by the fire, his little sister presents
him with the comforter, the thick gloves, and the overshoes, which
his benevolence has enabled her to buy. What surprise and pleasure
beam in the lad's face! How happy looks the sister! How full of a
subdued and thankful pleasure is the mother's countenance.
And for weeks and months, did Mr. Alexander gaze, at times, upon
this picture, and always with a warmth and lightness of heart unfelt
when other images arose in his mind and obscured it.
And for a single dollar was all this obtained, while thousands and
thousands were spent in the fruitless effort to buy happiness.
Strange as it may seem, Mr. Alexander did not profit by this
lesson--grew no wiser by this experience. The love of self was too
strong for him to seek the good of others, to bless both himself and
his fellows by a wise and generous use of the ample means which
Providence had given into his hands. He still buys pictures and
works of art, but the picture in his imagination, which cost but a
single dollar, is gazed at with a far purer and higher pleasure than
he receives from his entire gallery of paintings and statues.
If Mr. Alexander will not drink from the sweet spring of true
delight that has gushed forth at his feet, and in whose clear waters
the sun of heavenly love is mirrored, we hope that others, wiser
than he, will bend to its overflowing brim, and take of its
treasures freely.
THE END.
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