Saturday, October 19, 2013

THE MISSION OF A CENT.

New England Home Magazine
November 13, 1898

 By Nellie Clara Neill.
I CAME from the mint a short time ago, as bright as a gold dollar; but, alas! I am only a cent. But it is of no use to fret because I am of so little value. I will confess that at first I felt that I could never do much good in the world, but one day I heard some one singing something about

"Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean And the pleasant land."

After that I thought: "Well, surely, a cent is as large as a drop of water or a grain of sand, and might become of as much importance in the world." So I decided that I would do some good if the opportunity ever presented itself.
It was some time before I had a chance to get away from the Government and out into the world. The first thing that was bought with me was a postal card at a stationery store. The man who sold the card looked at me and said: "I will take this bright cent home to my little boy. He will like it because it is a new one." So he put me in his pocket and took out a dull cent and put it into the money drawer. When he went home he said to his little boy: "See what I have for you," and he handed me to him. The boy ran up-stairs and put me into a queer house made of iron, and said: "There, that makes fifty." I soon found what he meant by that, for I fell on a lot of other cents, but they were all very dull. "Well," I thought, "this is pretty company that I am in, and there is no knowing how long I will have to stay here." But I made up what little mind I possessed to be resigned to my fate.

 One day I felt that something terrible had happened, for suddenly this house I was in was turned upside down, and soon I found myself in the hand of the same little boy that had put me into this prison. He ran out of the house and down the street and into a store, saying: "I want a cent's worth of peanuts, Mr. Brown." I did not stay with this man long, for presently an old lady came in and bought something, and Mr. Brown gave me to her with a lot of other money.
The old lady went down the street. A very poorly dressed man came up to her and said: "Please give me one cent, lady. I am so sick I am not able to walk home. I have four cents, and if I only had one more I could ride." Of course the poor man got the cent, and it was I.
"Well," he said, "that one cent game works. Most on 'em will gin yer one cent." Did this man get on a car and go home? Oh, no! He went to the nearest saloon and put me on the counter with four other cents and called for a drink. That night the saloon-keeper, when on his way home, went into a drug store and bought a glass of soda. He was a very temperate man, and never drank anything stronger. He paid five cents, and I was one of the five. I was put into the money drawer.
The next morning a gentleman bought some sulphur, and in making tlie change I was given to him. He put me into the same pocket with Ihe sulphur. In some way the string came off the package and the contents went all over me. It did not take long to make me as dull as I could possibly be. I was now completely discouraged, for my brightness wans the only good thing about me.

 That night, on the way home, the gentleman put his hand in his pocket, lad when he found the sulphur in the bottom of it he turned it inside out, and I dropped on to the sidewalk. He did not bother to pick me up, he was so annoyed.
I was wondering who I would be-long to next, when a boy came along and instantly saw me and picked me up. He held me tight in his hand, and, running down the street, did not stop until he reached a florist.

Then he went in and said to the first man he saw, and who was waiting at the time on a young lady: "May I have one of those pinks in the window for a cent?"
The young man said, "Yes." "And please may I pick it out myself?"
"Yes, I wish you would. I'm very busy." So the boy selected the largest pink, and then went over and laid me on the counter, then started for the door.
The young lady called to the boy to come back. He did so.
She said: "Would you mind telling me, little boy, why you were so particular about selecting the flower yourself, and what you are going to do with it?"
"It is for my sister, and I wanted the nicest one I could get, because she is very sick, and the doctor says she will not live much longer, and this morning she said to me: 'If I only had just one flower to look at and hold in my hand how happy I would be; but, Tom,' she said, 'don't tell mother, because she can't buy me any flower, and she would feel so bad if she knew how much I wanted one.'
"You sec, lady," continued the boy, "father died, and mother has had to work hard ever since to take care of my sister and me. Mother goes out washing, and she can't get the things my sister ought to have. I think perhaps she would get well if she did have them. I've felt bad all day because I couldn't get a flower for my sister. So, after mother came back from her work this afternoon (I can't go out, you know, until she does come home, because my sister is too sick to be left alone), I came out to see if I could earn a few cents in some way,  but nobody seemed to want me to do anything for them, and just when I was getting pretty discouraged about it I found a cent on the sidewalk. So I came right down here and bought this flower with it."
"I wish you'd tell me where you live, little boy," said the lady.
 "I will call and see your sister in the morning." The boy gave her his address, and then ran out of the store. The lady then turned lo the florist and said: "I wish you would exchange that cent the boy gave you for one of mine."
 "You are welcome to it." said the man.
"Here it is on the counter, where the boy laid it. It is no matter about giving.me one in return." The lady put me in her pocketbook in a place all by myself, and I went to lief home with her. The next, morning she went to see the sick girl, and I went along, too. She had some trouble in finding tin-street and number, but she kept bravely on. and at last found the place. The boy opened the door when she knocked.
He was so pleased to see her that she felt paid for coming. The boy said: "My mother told me to say to you that she was sorry not to be at home, if you came, but she has to go to her. work very early."
"I am sorry not to see your mother," said the lady, "but if your sister is able to see me I shall be pleased to see her."
 "Oh, she has been talking about seeing yoxi ever since I told her you were coming. Here is her room. Will you walk in?" The lady entered the room and saw lying in the bed the frailest looking girl she had ever seen. On a stand near the bed was a broken glass with a white pink in it. The lady went up to the bed and knelt down.
"Oh, lady, it was so kind of you to come," said the girl.
"Oh, no," she replied, "it was kind in your brother to allow me to come, for it has given me an opportunity to do something for somebody besides myself, and I am sure that will be good for me. I'm afraid I've been too much like a butterfly. It was only yesterday morning I was quite vexed mother to let me take you into the with my father because he was not country with me." willing that I should spend a large
 "Oh. I know I'd get well," inter-eum of money for something that I rupted the sick girl, "where the green wanted, but which was not at all grass is and the flowers are. But I necessary for me to have. And in will not be allowed to go on the  afternoon, when I was in the grass, will I? Or pick any of the florist's, and your brother came in flowers?" "Where you are goin' and bought the pink with his one you'll be allowed to" walk on" the cent, and told me why he wanted it, grass and pick all the flowers you I felt then that I had been a very wish.
But I must be going now, "be-eelfish girl, but that I'd be so no cause I know you are tired. Now, 1 longer. And so here I am, ready and want you to think of all I have said willing to do all I can for you. And to you, and I will come again tomorrow that cent that bought you the flower row, at an hour when I know I shall I have here in my pocketbook, and find your mother at home."
The you would never guess what I am lady then said "good-by" and went going to do with it. So I will tell home. That evening she talked with you without your trying. I am go- her father. He was much interesting to have it gilded, so that I will in all that she told him, and promised know it from other cents, and carry to give her the money that she want-it with me always. And if I ever  to carry out her plans. And carry find myself growing selfish again I them out she did with a will, and shall take this cent and look at it, soon had the satisfaction of seeing and it will remind me how much the sick girl fully restored to health, food can come from a little, for much and the girl's mother employed with is coming from that one little cent to a much more agreeable and profitable you and me.
For I am going to see work, and the girl's brother going to if I cannot help your mother to get school every day and working be-better employment, and I think my tween his school hours, and she came father will take your brother into his to know and to fully understand factory to work between school that it is "more blessed to give than hours, for he must go to school, to receive."
As for me, my journeys And I shall get you the things that are over. I have been gilded, and I sick people need, and when you are look just as bright as I did when I stronger I'm going to ask your first came from the mint.

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