Year: 1871

strange mat TWO OF the largest candies slipped
into her basket.


When it was opened at noon the light had
gone out of Miss Nortons face She was
weary and voxed-perhaps she wished sh,
did not have to teach school for a living
Just u glimpse came back then, as Minnie
who was still in her seat, saw.


"What fairy has visited my basket 2' she
asked. You must be the one Minnie
These bright little fellows you have dropped
here 50 slyly are going to-do me ever so much
good dear They tell me | have kind
friend to think of me, and will be so nice to
carry to my poor brother


" | did not know you had brother. What
ails him2" asked Minnie, thinking again how
thankful she was TO have something good to
give away.


When he was quite small he was hurt 50
badly that he will never walk again. We
have to wheel him about in little chair
made on purpose for him. lie Sits by the
window and watches for me every afternoon
This time, as soon as | get in sight, | will
hold these up am sure he will be greatly
pleased, 1t is 50 seldom he gets any such
thing, poor boy :"


But | want you to have some Miss Nor
ton" said Minnie You must take these
two for yourself, because, you know, your
brother will enjoy his 80 much better it you
have some too. Please tell him ! am sorry
he cannot walk but if he is willing 10 play with
n little girl like me, | will come and see him
Saturday. Mamma gives me Saturday after
moons TO spend as | ike, if have had my
lessons all the week and get my work done
before noon


3" am sure he will be very glad to see
you, dear; he often gets lonesome, for | have
to be busy, and cannot sit much with him, q
replied the teacher and when the pupil went
to her mates in the playground Miss Norton
felt that the cloud was lightened a trihe, just
as it always is for any of us when some one
show. thoughtiulness and love for Us, be the
kindness ever so small.


-Four candies left to play with, and they
went out to the playhouse that four little
girls had built under a tree, to make the
dessert for dinner served up in great style
on bits Of broken porcelain.


Look, girls ~ whispered Emily when
they had nearly finished there's that new
scholar watching Us. don't believe the
girls on the other side will let her come in
their playhouse they were laughing at her
when | came past there because she looked
so forlorn and ragged"


Come here, little girl, wont you % called
Minnie we want to get acquainted with
you. We are having a nice play, and there
is just room for one more.


" am afraid you are rather late for din
ner, observed Emily as the girl came shyly
up, not knowing what to make of a kind
ness she was so unused to; ave have al
eaten, and were just going to serve dessert
We dids't expect company to-day, you see


That all right" said Minnie. " | have
two cookies yet for her, and here is my candy
for her dessert. Ma says we should always
be able to manage when friends happen in at
meal-time."


The girls made believe 60 through with
their dinner again, just to make it pleasant
for the stranger, but it was better deed for
themselves than for her, after all; for we
know that, if their eyes could have been
opened, to behold all that was about them
then, they would have seen another Guest at
their tabe-One with glorious robes and q
shining crown, with soft eyes full of wonder.
full love, aud gentle hands held out to bless
them.


When Patty Green woke that morning
from the troubled sleep into which she had
fallen, and received her friends gift aud gen.
tie message, she was truly sorry for her own
unkindness She saw it now in its real light
and was ready to ask Minnies forgiveness as
soon as she saw her. So the little girl found
her friend again.


That afternoon, true to her word, Miss
Norton held up the the two gay bits as soon
as she came in sight of the window where her
brother waited for her.


What can sister have ?" thought Willie
as he watched her up the hill; Something
for me | guess, the dullness that had been
about him all the hot, lonely day dropping of
at this new interest


See here, Willie, brother" said his sister,
STOPPING for her kiss, what one Of my little
girls gave me two for you and two for me,
she says--and we are to eat them together,
so as to make them taste sweeter. She wants
me to tell you she is sorry you cannot walk
and she will come to see you next Saturday.
Why, how bright you look 1t rests me to
see you how have you been to-day?"


81 have been thinking | felt mserably,
but your coming and so much kindness liyen
me up. | begin to believe | am not such a
terribly unhappy fellow, after ALL"


So the package held this also


Why, whatever is the matter with you,
Sally? You never cum home from new
school with snch smiling face in all your
born life afore. What has happened to ye 2'


If you had turned to see who the untidy-
looking woman was talking to, you would
have beheld the new scholar" who took din
ner in the playhouse under the tree.


bleve I'm goin to like this 'un, moth
er, was her answer The girls some on
EN-, was real good to me, aud asked me to
play with m, mean to go right along now,
aud study hard, SOS to ketch up with the
other girls. Minnie said ] could if | only
tried. | guess she liked me- for she give
me her cookies and every speck of candy she
had. Maybe I'll be somebody yet, for all
my rags. She said could if | worked the
right way"


Stranger things hev happened" mused
the mother. I'D be glad to give ye
chance if everything wasn't agin me. I
might mend up your clothes bit, that's
fact; and | will, too, this very night, if ye're
goin' with decent gals"


Are you tired of looking into the package
We will not go much farther, only to Minnie's
pleasant, homecoming to love that met the
love she gave; her peaceful lying down to the
sleep of the good and gentle; to angels guard.
ing the bed, and a bright page in the child's
liie-book written over the words, that shall
grow golden when, in the morning of her new
life, her sayiour's lips repeat them " Inas-
much as ye did it unto the least Of these, We
have done it unto me-"


What wonderful package was that, filed
up with blessing


Yet if Edmund had not been a generous,
lome-loying boy there is no knowing what
night have become Of the dollar which brought
lin 50 much enjoyment and if he had given
he same package to thoughtless, selfish sis.
or, it would have held only twenty candies.


"A little boy in Wisconsin was being put
o bed the other night, about dark, when Le
Il