The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-07-25
A REMEMBERED LESSON,

Alice was a little girl who did not see
why she should be taught goodness ev-
had never been naughty Often at
bedtime, when prayers were said, the
mother would carefully question her
about the day and show her how to
avoid temptation. "Oh, Mammal" she
would cry, 81 never want to say bad
words or take what is not mine, or ill
treat my playmates. Why do you tell
me these things?"
Still the mother persevered. One
night she said:
THE time may come, my Alice. when
you will be tempted to do wrong.
pray that should it come, you may re-
member this moment and stop. Never
be afraid to tell the truth, even though
a lie may seem best. The truth is sure
to save, and the lie to Destroy.
Not long after this the good mother
went away to heaven, and little Alice
had a sad, lonely life of it. Gradually
she began to see what her mother had
meant, and she strove to live day by
day as she had been taught.
Years passed and Alice went to live
with her grandmother in the big city
of New York. Her home had been in
pretty, quiet town, and there was
much to see that was beautiful. and
much that made her unhappy.
One lovely June day there came a
note from the lady next door inviting
Alice to Elsie's birthday party. Alice
had never been to a real party before,
though she was 10 years old These
days of preparation We're a delight to
her, for Elsie told how the house was
to be dressed in flowers, and musicians
were to play for the dance, that she
was to wear a lace dress, and that the
ice cream was to be shaped like lilies,
roses and tulips, because June was the
month of flowers.
Grandma had prepared a pretty
white dress for Alice. 1t was laid out
on the spare-room bed, along with little
silk stockings and white slippers. Ev-
cry time she passed the door she ran in
to look at the lovely dress, and Won
dered if the day would ever come. Alice
was sure that hers would be the pref
test dress at the party, until the day
Aunt Mary came to see grandma.
Aunt Mary knew about style and
such things; she laughed at the Dress
and hustled around to find a needle
and thread. Then she put tuck in
the skirt, and puffed up the sleeves,
adding, as she bit off the last thread:
and the child needs a handsome
pink sash, mother"
Grandma declared she could not af-
ford it. So Aunt Mary laid three dol
lars in the old ladys wrinkled hand,
and went off feeling as if she had done
her duty. Really she left two unhappy
hearts behind her. Alice began to fear
that her dress was queer, and grandma
was as discouraged as she had been
content.
The old lady did not delay. Having
ascertained the proper shade and width
she sent Alice down Broadway to
shop called Daniels, and told her to
get two and half yards of ribbon at
a dollar a yard, like the sample. Alice
liked the errand and soon bought the
ribbon, but the shop was full of pretty
things and it took her long While to
reach the door.
In raising her parasol she found, oh,
poor ALICE that her parcel was gone.
She must have dropped it. She began
to cry and lady questioned her. The
lady comforted her and said that she
had better go to the young lady who
sold the ribbon, and very likely it
would be found.
Alice did as she was told, and
smart young man said "Ahi" good
many times, pulled his big mustache