Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-03-27
ADVERTISING aArgg !:
From the Missionary.
BEES m wINTaR.
New MARKET, Jan. 81, 1878.

DEAR CHrLDREN-I wrote you let
ter about year ago, and told you a.
bout ''Polly' the 'sCheerful Giver." L
have been thinking / should like to tell
you about some bees that have not on
ly buzzed but worked through all the
shining hours of summer, and even
since cold winds have driftsd SHOWS
where flowers used to bloom.
Just the week before Christmas, [
was feeling myself to be very poor, and
disparingly thinking my friends were
all poor too. And though the whole
Christian world, and especially the dear
children, were looking gladly forward
to this joyful season, when even angels
sing ''peace on earth, good will to
men, [ had concluded that l could do
nothing to make the poor black Sun
day School scholars any happier on
Christmas day. So, though l knew
they were waiting to hear something
about Christmas, dismissed the school
and said nothing, only felt rather sad
as listened to the little feet go slowly
down the stalrs
A little black boy, whose dreary life
knew no childhood, came back in G
moment and said: "Aint we going to
have no Chistmas hereg" The voice
was very timid, and l thought almost
plaintive, and it touched nae so, that /
answered quickly: "Oh, yes! tell the
Sunday school scholars they must every
one come aud see me on Christmas day.
l will have gift ready for all" 1
heard a half uttered breath Of gladness,
and the feet battered down the stairs,
and the waiting crowd of children went
away merrily, for the weary little
hearts were longing for the Christmas
day to come. / think I didn't sleep
that night, for had certainly made a
rash promise of gift to each of near
ly two hundred children.
l felt good deal troubled, but went
bravely to work in the morning, to look
over books and little home treasures to
make up the number of gifts, and then
it was that the 'Busy Bees" began to
work for me; for first, here is an en-
velope with four dollars, Christmas
gift from the Busy Bees in Wilbraham
Mass, and the same days express
brought box and barrel from Bees
in the Sabbath schools of Warren and
North Amherst, Mass So. we had
books, papers, toys, candies, and a
barrel full Of very good clothing-all
just as good as great pots of honey.
When l had added cakes baked ut
home, / concluded to give each scholar
bundle of Christmas Gifts. Then l
put into separate parcels some papers,
books, candies, cakes, and added to
each pair of mittens, woollsn scarf,
stockings, shoes, coat or toy, according
to age and necessities. My two little
boys assisted-the youngest tied up the
packages, and the older wrote the
names on them. When Christmas Eve
came, we had two hundred bundles
ready for the eager hands that would
grasp them in the morning. the child
rem came in little companies of five and
tens, and in the pleasant parlor, whose
walls were decorated with evergreens
from dear old Massachusetts, Charlie
and Frankie gave each one the gift
marked with bis or her name, and the
glad recipients, went joyfully home
ward, carrying Christmas cheer into
many little home. think the melo-
dy Of many heart blended with the
heavenly song: "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace good will
toward men,"
But / must close: will write again if
any one wants me to. l should like to
know whether you have "Busy Bees
in your Sabbath schools, and do they
work in Winter?
We want help in everything, but
most of all, we need money, that these
Sabbath and day schools may both
scatter their blessings among poor
Freedmen and among still poorer whites.
We want to make these people better
and happier, and to raise them up from
sin and ignorance into the glorious
light of the Gospel. We cannot do
these things without money. Will
your "Busy Bees" gather some for us
Truly your friend,
JESSIE H. RUPERT,