Poor Corporal Jim! The kind words of aunt Amy, and the sight of the piece of gold, went to his heart. Tears filled his eyes. “Heaven bless ye!” he murmured; and then he hobbled to the roadside, sat down upon a large rock, and wept for joy.
Minnie’s keen eye had watched the effect of her aunt’s words and gift upon the old corporal. She saw how glad they made his heart. The sight of his joy caused a stream of rich emotion to flow through her own little bosom. It filled her so full she could not, for the moment, speak. But fondly pressing her aunt’s hand, she walked on by her side in silence. As soon as she recovered herself, she said,—
“Dear aunt, you have been a sunbeam to Corporal Jim. I saw by his face that you made him feel very happy.”
“That is just what God expects us to do, my dear, to every one who crosses our path. If every person in the world would smile upon and help every body, nearly all the misery and sorrow which make the world wretched, would be prevented; and every heart would be cheered by the sunlight of love and sympathy.”
“Yes, but you know, aunt, that every body is not rich enough to give gold pieces to the poor, as you are.”
“That is true, Minnie; but all can speak golden words, and look with friendly smiles upon the poor and sad.”
“Golden words, aunt! What are golden words?” asked Minnie, gazing with surprise into her aunt’s face.
“Kind words are golden words, Minnie, because they are precious to the heart. They are often worth more than gold to the unfortunate.”
This Minnie could not deny. Indeed, it pleased her very much to think that she could speak golden words, if she could not give gold pieces.
Having finished their walk, aunt Amy and her delighted little niece returned home. After tea, they worked again upon Kate’s dress, and it was decided that they should take it, the next day, with some other things, to Mrs. Button’s cottage.