﻿JOHNNY LEONARD AND HIS MOTHER. 303 



not lifted up because God has given him such great powers. This 

 trait in his character is very beautiful ; and I hope my readers will 

 all try to imitate it, and never be proud of any thing in which they 

 may seem to be superior to others. 



[The following narrative is very interesting and strictly truthful. 

 It was written by a lady of my acquaintance, who was residing at a 

 hotel in this city.] 



Johnny Leonard and his Mother. 



AT the close of one of the coldest days in the winter of 1S35, an 

 old lady called at our house to pass the night. She had come, that 

 day, from B , in the southern part of this state was cold, fa- 

 tigued and hungry, having tasted no food since she left her own des- 

 olate home. 



Upon entering the room, I was attracted by her appearance. Six- 

 ty-five years could scarcely have told the length of her life's pilgrim- 

 age, yet she seemed afflicted with few of the infirmities usually 

 attendant upon such age. Her dress, somewhat fanciful, was of 

 Scotch plaid, and the large, bright checks of scarlet, green and black, 

 made rather an unbecoming contrast with the deep traces that time 

 had graven on her face ; her little starched cap, in full trim, set 

 daintily up ; and the high-heeled shoes which she had slipped from 

 her feet were lying, toe to toe. at prudent distance from the fire ; all 

 seemed the carefully preserved relics of former taste and years. 



As she drew up her small figure more erectly in the chair, and 

 glanced her black eyes familiarly round the apartment, I thought I 

 had never seen the face of years so bright with animation ; as if she 

 had either never known the many disappointments allotted for the 

 threescore years and ten or that such trials had been happily for- 

 gotten ; her whole countenance, indeed, indicated that she had just 

 set out in life with new hopes, new joys. 



After she had taken supper, I drew my seat towards her, and she 

 soon revealed to me the following simple story. I will endeavor to 

 ' tell the tale as 'twas told to me." 



