Gray Hairs Made Happy: An interesting story for children

AN INTERESTING STORY FOR CHILDREN.
Providence:
H. H. BROWN, PRINTER. ......... 1831.
Youth has its pleasures, and age has its cares.

Opposite to the house in which Mary’s parents lived, was a little opening, ornamented with a grass plot, and overshaded by a venerable tree, commanding an extensive view before it. On this delightful spot, Mary used frequently to sit in her little chair, while employed in knitting stockings for her mamma.
As she was one day thus employed, she saw a poor old man advancing very slowly towards her. His hair was as white as silver, and his back bent with age; he supported himself by a stick, and seemed to walk with great difficulty. “Poor man,” said Mary, looking at him most tenderly, “he seems to be very much in pain, and perhaps is very poor, which are two dreadful evils.”
She also saw a number of boys, who were following close behind this poor old man. They passed jokes upon his thread-bare coat, which had very long skirts and short sleeves, contrary to the fashion of those days. His hat, which was quite rusty, did not escape their notice; his cheeks were hollow and his body thin. These wicked boys no sooner saw him, than they all burst out a laughing. A stone lay in his way, which he did not perceive, and over it he stumbled, and had liked to have fallen. This afforded them sport, and they laughed loudly; but it gave great pain to the poor old man, who uttered a deep sigh.
It is very wicked for children to ridicule aged persons. See II. Kings ii, 23.
“I once was as young as you are,” said he to the boys, “but I did not laugh at the infirmities of age, as you do. The day will come in which you will be old yourselves, and every day is bringing you forward to that period. You will then be sensible of the impropriety of your present conduct.” Having thus spoken, he endeavored to hobble on again, and made a second stumble, when in struggling to save himself from falling, he dropped his cane, and down he fell. On this the wicked boys renewed their laugh, and highly enjoyed his misfortune.