The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28
"Who Asked You To Come

of the room. Then she saw herself
entering the dining room for break
fast. There. already seated at the ta
BILE, were Papa and Mamma.
Annie" said Mamma, sternly, you
are late again for breakfast! Your
cakes are all cold. Mercy sakes
Look at your hands, And your neck
Come here, child. Did you wash your
neck? What? You did? Why, An
ME, you couldn't have done so. Look
just look at this ring of dirt around
your neck? And look at your wrists.
How many times have 1 told you
about daubbing a little water on your
face and hands, instead of washing
them thoroughly?
"But-but what hurts me most,
daughter, is to think that you would
tell me a f1b about it. Papa, what
should be done toa little girl who
comes to breakfast late and then says
she has washed her face and hands
when she hasn't? Oh, Annie, to
think you would tell me a story! To
think that my own little daughter
should do that!"
Click-click! The screen was white
again.
1t may not seem important to you
for little girl to be on time for
breakfast and to wash her face and
hands thoroughly" said the Spirit Of
the Departing Year sadly. But 1t is
And surely you can see now that you
must have known you did nothing. but
daub at your face with a little water
and q towel. Aren't you ashamed
now. Annie. of telling that fib?"
Click-click- ck-clickety-click! Another
picture was flashed upon the screen.
Annie saw herself walking to school
with Alice and Rhoda and Gertrude.
They were all smiling and laughing
and swinging their books as they
strolled along. AS they reached the
corner Of the street another little girl
met them. Her clothes were shabby
and her shoes were almost out at the
toes. 1t was Fannie, the poor little
girl always wanted to be friendly but
was never allowed to be.
Good morning. Annie" said she.
Please. may walk to school with
you and Alice and"
But Annie and Alice and Rhoda and
Gertrude had stuck their noses ,,p in
the air and passed on, looking disdain
fully away from poor Fannie, who be-
gan to cry softly to herself.
THAT picture" said the Spirit of
the Departing Year, as the screen he
came white again, "needs no further
comment from me. I think. 1 have
still one more picture to show you.
Annie. But first let me tell you that
all year long I have kept track Of all
your misdeeds-just as I do Of the
misdeeds of many other little BOYS
and girls. They grieve me.
And every year that comes after
me will be grieved in the same wav.
unless you turn over a new leaf and
make the pictures bright, pleasing, no.
BILE ones. Just because thing is over
with, 1t doesn't mean that it is ended.
Every act of disobedience you are
guilty of; every time you tell flb;
every display of false pride; every
time you are self1sh-you add to char
acteristics that will become stronger
and stronger the older you are.
so, unless you seek to do only the
beautiful. the good. the true things,
you will grow up to be the victim Of
your mis-deeds-and no one will like
you. Your Character you see. doesn't
forget anything. though you may!
II have one more picture to show
you-5ust one-and then I shall van
ish into the Unknown Place where all
the departed years are stored, each
deeds of the children and people who
lived while II lived. This last picture
is that Of the New Year--the Year