CHAPTER II.
FRITZ DEAD, YET LIVES.
The next day, after the children had finished their lessons, Mrs. Paysonsaid, "I will tell you a little story, showing how a child can do muchgood.
"Many years ago, I knew a little boy who could not walk. His nurse lethim fall, when he was a baby, and hurt his back, so that he grew out ofshape, and could not stand on his feet.
"The little boy's name was Fritz Ritter. His parents lived in a pleasanthome, and did all they could to make their darling lame boy happy.
"They taught him to read, and write, and to draw pictures.
"But Fritz said, 'That is not enough. I have dear friends, who do everything for me. Now, I must do something too.'
"His father kept a man to draw him about in a little wagon; so Fritzknew all the streets in town, and visited the machine-shops and millsto see how things are made. Almost every one looked kindly on his sweet,pale face, and wherever he went the people would talk with him and showhim what he wished to see.
"As he rode about the city he saw many poor houses, and hungry andragged children.
"One night, when his mamma laid him in his little bed, she saw that hewas sad and quiet.
"'What is the matter with my little boy to-night?' she asked.
"'I have seen so many poor little children on Stone Alley to-day,' saidFritz, 'who were ragged and dirty, I wished they had good homes andgood mammas.'
"'I am sorry for all poor little children who are ragged and hungry,'said Mrs. Ritter. 'But, as we can not give them pleasant homes we mustdo what we can for them; for you know Christ says, "The poor ye havealways; and whensoever ye will, ye may do them good."'"
"Fritz turned his face away and shut his eyes as though he was tired.But he was not tired; he was only thinking.
"He had stopped many times at a little shop, in the edge of town, wherebaskets were made; a man, and a woman, and several children workedthere, and they made many kinds of baskets; some of them very fine andpretty.
"Fritz had sat in the shop a long time that day, and he asked the man ifhe might come every day, and learn to make baskets.
"Now, in his little bed, with his eyes shut, he was thinking how hewould make them and sell them for money to help poor children.
"The next morning Fritz told his mamma what he had been thinking about.
"She was pleased with his plan; for she thought it would amuse herdarling little lame boy.
"Fritz went to the basket-maker's shop all Summer, and by the time coldweather came he could make very beautiful baskets. Some merchants intown sold them for him, and by Christmas time he had laid up severaldollars, which he said he should give to poor widow Wilcox, who lookedsick and pale, and had two children.
"Mrs. Ritter gave Fritz a little room at home for his shop; and his papaput into it all the materials necessary for making baskets; and thereFritz spent several hours every day at his work.
"He was happy and said, 'Now I am of some use, as I can help to makeothers good and happy.'
"Widow Wilcox and her children had food, and a fire, and clothes in thecold Winter weather; and it was the little pale-faced lame boy who gavethem to her.
"Jim and Dora Wilcox learned their books because Fritz wished them to doso. They would not play any more with bad children on the streets,because Fritz told them they must not. And when Jim promised that hewould try to remember and not use any more naughty words, Fritz told himhe would give him all the books he would read to Dora and his mother.
"Finally, Jim went every day to Fritz's little shop, and learned to makebaskets. He was so handy that, by the time another Christmas came, hewas able to carry to his mother money that he had himself earned.
"Fritz was about ten years old when he began to make baskets. The Lordallowed him to live only two years longer; but, in that time, many poorchildren loved him, and thanked him for his kindness. When he died manytears were shed in the alleys and back streets, where the dearpale-faced boy had tried to make others good and happy.
"Little children went in a great company, when he was buried, and threwflowers into his grave.
"We believe that when Fritz's gentle spirit left his poor, crooked body,it went to the happy land, to grow in beauty forever. But he is notforgotten on earth; and now, many years after, there are those whobless the dear little lame boy."
"Did you know him, mamma?" asked Rebecca, with tears in her eyes.
"Yes," said Mrs. Payson. "It was when I was a young girl that I attendedthe funeral of little Fritz.
"Mr. Wilcox, who keeps the great store of baskets in town, where youhave sometimes stopped with me to see how beautiful they are, is thelittle Jim whom Fritz taught to be good and useful.
"He has always taken tender care of his mother, who is now so old sheremembers but little; but if you ask her about Fritz she will talk along time about him, whom she calls 'God's dear child.'"
"Your true story, mamma, is better than made-up ones," said Joshua, ashe walked away to the window.
"When I look at my little work-basket, mamma," said Rebecca, "that youbought of Mr. Wilcox, I shall think of Fritz, and the basket will helpme to be good."
"So you see, my darling," said Mrs. Payson, "when our bodies are turningto dust in the ground, the deeds which we did may be helping others tobe good or bad."