The Newtown bee., 1892-02-26
A CHANGE.

nluse ed all tnoSe happy, nlceiy dressed children, come from comfortable homes to celebrate their Christmas festival. But there she was, tangled hair, gaping boots, patches (these were few), rags and all, her bright, unabashed eyes rov- ing hither and thither, taking in every detail of the pretty scene from her seat In the corner of the pew behind those kept for the scholars. Dotty Caven and her four classmates had their places just in front of her and every now and then Dotty looked back wonderingly at this queer visitor: even when the carols had begun, which she loved so much to sing, she could not help glancing round from time to time to see what effect it was all having on her.
 "How could she ever have been invited?" she asked herself; 'and why don't she comb her hair some and have her clothes little wholer? I should think she'd feel ashamed to be compar- ison to so many people that were all nice and clean and sewed up, specially in place where there's so much light to make you remember it plainer.''
 Dotty was dainty little maid and she regarded her neighbor with some dis favor. Presently, however, she forgot all about it, for was not her town dear preacher. that had been in their family ever since grandma was married" :" telling them about the holy, blessed meaning of the Christmas season?
 "Of course we've heard it all before, often and often," thought Dotty; ''but then, you know, it's always very won- derful and lovely to listen to over again; you couldn't get tired being told how :. much pity there was in Heayen for your sins and how God got so uneasy over them that He sent His Son to seek and save you out of them.'
 And now the speaker was saying that this was time when the children ought to think of others for the sake of Him
 who "pleased not Himself;'' and Dotty had comfortable remembrance of the parcels in her top drawer at home, all ready for the different members of the } family and the cook and the glass of
 pretty red jelly saved over from the week when she had sore throat to give to rheumatic old Aunt Liza round the
 corner.
 'Then l have just one more thing to say and my speech will be done,' said the pastor. "It is this: In this great city of ours there are many, many peo- ple-more than we can count-who will have no Christmas at all-who will be
 made no better nor gladder by Christ's , happy holiday. Now, if God should so highly honor any boy or girl here as to , give him or her chance to send a
 Christmas gift and message to any one
 of these His poor brethren, I beg you.
 my dear child, for Jesus sake, not to
 miss it.'
 Dotty heaved a deep sigh of interest and attention.
 "Wouldn't it be beautiful?' she thought. II wish it would be me-only
 don't know any very poor people, only
 pretty poor and they all know everything , about Christmas already. But maybe
 He might send me stranger to say it
 to; l wish He would.'
 Meantime, four big boys of the school had started down the aisles and were dis tributing a box of candy and an orange to each one of the children. If you had known Dotty well, perhaps you would have thought that she was ''pretty poor'' herself; at any rate, candy and oranges - were not very plentiful at her house and she grasped her share of the good things with beaming face. Why was it that, as she looked at them lying safely in her lap, in a swift flash came the thought of the child behind her whom she had quite treasures close as she glanced back, half hoping to find the place empty. But no; there the girl was, as tattered and wide awake as before.
 "Oh dear!' thought Dotty; ''do you s'pose I ought to give some of it to her ]? She doesn't belong to this school. She oughtn't to expect any of our Christi mas" But though she turned her head resoutely the other way, the vision of the unkempt little girl from the streets was as plainly before her as though she were looking straight at it.
 "Why doesn't Louise Hawes give her some of hers? She must see how poor she is and Louise has lots of candy and things, anyway and I only have just a |. little. 1 think she might, after what the !, preacher said."
 Louise, however, was busily talking to the girl next her and showed no signs of taking any notice of anything else.
 LIOh daarf1 thnupbt DnttU araip. !. didn't just 'xactly mean like her when was wishing for a chance. She isn't very attractive to me, she's so sharp looking and torn. I s'pose maybe she's the kind, though; she doesn't look as if she'd ever had any Christmas. And even if she isn't very much for me to like, s'pose God well believes her. Perhaps"-and the child's face grew solemn as the idea came to her-''He sent her here tonight be- cause He knew we were all 'quainted with Him and He depended on us to be nice to her and then He got Dr Howe to put us in mind besides and perhaps if we don't pay 'tention to it, He'll be dis couraged from sending her anywhere af- ter the Gospel again soon. And 1 guess He ment me to attend to her, for He made me think of it and He didn't make Lou ise."
 She hesitated no longer; turning quick ly round, she was startled to find the it- tie stranger gone. Catching d glimpse ot her at the end of the long aisle, Dotty scrambled past her companions, thread ed her way in and out among the crowd which WAS now leaving the church, ran