The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-06-19

there was IN the case OF this little boy.
Probably there were hundreds of bows
in Palestine who bore the same name
as this boy. and let the name be called
and all would respond and come for
ward, but call for the boy with the
loaves and fishes and just one boy ap-
pears, the lad of our text. No boy or
girl can claim exclusive right to the
name they bear and forbid any other
person being similarly named, but
every boy and girl may SO live and do
that some deed will mark them al diff
ferent and distinct from every other
boy and girl. You may become known
to God, if not to your companions and
friends, as the lad or lassie who spoke
the kindly word or did the helpful
deed, who had something that Jesus
could use and freely gave it to Him
that it might bless all those about.
| REMEMBER reading the story a
good many years ago of the little girl
whose waking thought in the morn
ing was what she might do that would
really count towards helping others.
Instead of waiting for some great and
noble thing to do, and idly dreaming
the morning away, she thought of
mething which every girl, and boy,
too, can do, wear a bright smile and
speak the CHEEKY word. You see she
was a very practical miss and began
with the thing nearest at hand, and
that which she could do. So she
thought of all the good pure things she
could, she caught the beam of the sun
light in her eyes, she wreathed her face
in smiles, she pitched her voice to the
tune of the birds singing without her
window, and then went tripping down
stairs, her light heart giving wings to
her little feet. The first one she met
was Bridget in the kitchen. She had
a cloud on her face that~betokened
storm. The dishes ratified and banged
an impatient discord. 1t was enough
to make our little girl forget her
good resolution and run off and leave
Bridget to her unhappy mood. 1t was
a hard place to begin. But Jesus likes
to have US begin in the hard places.
And you will see before our story is
done that it was just where this little
girl needed to begin. When our little
girl came dancing in she did not give
the Miniature of Bridget chance to
chill her heart. She did not say:
well, if Bridget is going to be so cross
and mean, 1 will be cross and mean,
too, to pay her back" No, she just let
that smile shine out. Her bright eyes
put to shame the downcast eyes and
frowning brow of Bridget. Her CHEEKY
voice called out happy: Good morn
ing" and away she fitted with her sum
shine and her merry laugh, without
waiting to hear the surly grunt of
Bridget which she meant for a "Good
morning"
PUT that smile and that CHEEKY word
u braved the frown and growl of IN
happy Bridget and somehow, as they
always will, got away down into her
heart, bringing light and a new
warmth there. 1t set her to thinking.
The little girl had preached her bet
ter and stronger sermon than the par
son could have done. She felt sorry
and concluded she would be bright
and happy, too. So, instead of letting
the meat get as dry and brown as the
frown had been upon her face, and in
stead of swimming it in grease, she
cooked it just to a turn. The mullins
in the oven felt the change of atmos-
phere and came out of the oven light
and just tinged with that appetizing
brown, instead of the usual deep brown
and burnt bottoms. AS she brought in
the well-prepared meal, the master
heard her coming and ill-naturedly
L. IL l. i
the meat was as tough as leather and
swimming in the black gravy as usual.
But Bridget came in with a CHEEKY air,
she forgot to set the dishes down with
a bang, and everything looked so I'M
usually good that the ill-humor of the
master of the house was driven away.
The other members of. the family
caught the brightness and cheer, and
the little girl found she was not alone
with her smile and merry voice. And
the day so DWELL begun ran all the day on
that little girls smile and CHEEKY
Good morning" The ripples went cir
ling out until they touched the office
and store and business world of the
the social sphere of the
no mother, the schoolroom and play
ground of the children. Sister, who
was generally so unobhging because
so full of her own plans, had time to
help brother with the hard parts of
his lesson, and sent him off to the knot
Of playmates with new impulses at
work in his heart which made it easy
Tor him to be unselfish in his play and
more thoughtful towards others. How
,heery Good morning." went ringing
lown all through the day like the
words spoken ia the grand canyons
If the west go bounding from rock to
rock as the echoes increase and null
iply, seemingly Indefinitely, in the
distance! That little girls name may
nave been Mary, or Jane, or Clara, or
my one of the thousand and one names
oorne by girls, but it's what that little
yirl did and not her name, that lives for
is and interests us. So it is with the
ad with the 1oaves and fishes. So it
may be with you, my boy, and you, my
yirl. You may be one of the boys OF
girls to carry the loaves and fishes
which Jesus will use to bless the ever
circle of those about.
UT there is something else about
, this lad which attracts our atten-
ion. Andrew says to Jesus: There
s a lad HERE" He was a lad who
could be found. He was near Jesus.
wonder what his playmates were
Ioing at this time, 1 wonder if it
lidn't take a good deal of moral
courage for him to leave his play and
follow Jesus! I wonder if they didn't
try to DOke fun at him for wanting