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Our Boys and Girls
SERVING.
"1 wish that 1 were big and strong and
grown up, like Brother Tom," said Ned. "I'd
like to work in town, and come home every
Saturday night, as Tom does, instead of doing
chores and running errands."
Ned tossed his armful of wood into the box
with an impatient sigh.
Ilis mother smiled. "Come," she said. "I
have a story to toll you."
"Once upon a time," she began, "there was
a brave little worker bee, who lived in a big
liivc. She was strong and willing, and was
ready to do anything. And what do you think
was the only thing required of her? She and
a dozen other bees were placed at the door
of the hive, and were told to keep their wings
in motion, so as to send a steady current of
air into the inner eells of the hive where the
queen was. The little worker bee was disap
pointed, for she had wished to do some great
service for her queen.
"She could see other workers hurrying about
and doing sueh important tasks! Rome were
making wax, and building the comb inside the
hive; others were providing food for the young
bees, and still others were feeding honey to the
queen herself!
"Day by day the little worker grew more
discontented, until one day the queen sent a
message to the tireless workers at the doorway.
'Tell them,' she said, 'that they are doing me
a wonderful service. "Without the air they
are sending me T eould never live.'
"When the little worker heard this message
she took courage and her wings whirred as
they never whirred before. She felt at last
that she, too, was serving the queen."
"That was a parable story, wasn't it, moth
er?" said Ned. as he squared his shoulders.
"Well, you're the nicest queen T know, and
I'm going to be your best worker." ? Selected.
A NEW YEAR'S DAY.
"Come, Lester, we aVe going to have just
the grandest time New Year's," said Halford
to his friend. "Papa has engaged a big barge
and four horses and we're going to Old Fort
Inn ? all the uncles, cousins and aunts ? and
take dinner and eome home by moonlight. Oh,
we'll have a jolly time! What are you going
to do, Lester?"
"Oh, we shall stay at home, I s'pose," Les
ter answered.
"But you'll have company and have a big
dinner, won't you?" asked Halford.
"No," said Lester. "You see, papa was sick
all the fall, and then mother had to go to New
York to have her eyes 'tended to, so there isn't
any money for good times. But T'm glad
mamma's eyes are better. T gness T don't
mind very much about Christmas and New
Year's."
"Course you do ? you can't help it," said
Halford. "It's a shame! But T'll have to go
home now. >Good-bye!" And Halford started
homeward.
But he was so unhappy about, it he eould
hardly eat his dinner.
"Lost yonr appetite, TTalford?" asked his
father.
"I'm thinking all the time about Lester,"
said Halford. "They can't have any good time
New Year's 'cause they haven't any money,
and I think it'll a shame, and he a minister!
"Why can't you invite them all to go with us,
papa, to 01(1 Fort Inn ? '
"I would do it with pleasure if there were
room," said Ilalford 's father. "And when I
think of it, Aunt Lois lias decided not to go,
and I'll ride on the scat with the driver, so
if you'll give up your seat to your friend
Lester, I'll send an invitation at once."
"And 1 stay at home! "Why, Papa Newell!
You know I couldn't do that!" cried Halfoi'd.
"You know the boys are expecting me to play
hookey with them."
"I don't ask you to do it," said his father.
"But you seemed so anxious 1o have Lester go
1 was trying to think how we could manage
to carry them. But as they know nothing
about it, they won't be disappointed. So think
no more about it."
But ITal ford found that not so easy. He
could not help thinking how many things and
how many pleasures he had that Lester did
not have. There was his bicycle, his box of
tools, his new sled, his skates and ever so
many books, and he was sure ? now he came
to think about it ? that Lester was as fond of
all those things as he was. But he was sure
he could not give up this ride even for his
best friend. That was too much. But in the
evening he said to his papa :
"I couldn't stay at home alone, and besides,
I don't b'lieve Mr. Lowell would feel able to
pay for their dinner and everything." There
was an uncertain and troubled look in his
face.
His father looked up from his paper; then
he laughed.
"Oh, you are still thinking about the ride,
are you?" he said. "Well, as to that, of
course, if I invited them to go T should pay
all the bills. That would be my part, and
you know Grandma Hawes would be delighted
to have you spend the day with her."
Ilalford sighed and said no more, but that
night he could not. sleep. The next morning
he went to his mother.
"Mamma, won't you or papa write that in
invitation for Mr. Lowell and all of them, right
off," h esaid, "and tell them they must be sure
to go? And I guess I'll go to grandma's to
day 'cause she always likes to have me stay
two or three days." And before his mother
eould answer he was off.
The next morning he was cracking nuts
when he heard a great noise of sleigh bells,
horns and shouting. He ran to the door, fol
lowed by grandma, Susan, the cook, and Rover.
There were his papa and mamma, the Lowells
and all the others, and everybody looked hop
py.
"Hurry and get on your coat,," said papa,
"and you and Lester can sit up here beside
me. We thought there wouldn't be nrich fun
in going without you, after all, for the boys
needed you for the hockey game."
Ilalford with joy climbed up beside his fath
er. and the four horses dashed over the smooth
road toward Old Fort Tnn. ? Ex.
MOLLY AND THE BOB WHITES.
"Do little birds do just ns their fathers and
mothers do?" questioned Molly, as she leaned
close to Aunt Elinor, and looked across the
field to where "Bob White" and his family had
established a summer home.
"Not always," replied Aunt Elinor, slipping
her arm about the little girl. "Sometimes they
learn by their own experience to have more
confidence in men and women and children
than their parents had."
"What is confidence?" questioned Molly,
who always wanted to know the meaning of
things.
"Well, it's just the feeling you have when
you lean up against me," explained Aunt El
inor, with a little laugh. "You arc sure I won't
hurt you, and you feel safe, as though you
were protected."
"Oil, yes," responded Molly. "And do some
birds feel that way when they are near peo
ple?"
Aunt Elinor nodded. "In countries where
children arc taught to be gentle and friendly
with birds they become very tame."
"Would those little Bob-Whites ever have
confidence in me?" asked Molly.
"Yes, indeed," said Aunt Elinor. And that
very day Molly went across the field to where
Mrs. Bob-White was perched on the low fence,
talking to her little family.
Molly did not go very near. She sat down
on a big stone, where she could see them
plainly; but Mrs. Bob-White fluttered off the
fence and joined her family, and they all scut
tled away in the tall grass. Molly sat very
quietly, and scattered the little bag of wheat
she had brought all about the rock. After a
while, as the birds did not come back, she went
home.
The next day she started down the field
again, for Aunt Elinor had told her that she
must be very patient with all small wild crea
tures, and that it would take many visits be
fore the quails would know that she was a
friend. As she came near the rock where she
had sat the day before, there was a flutter of
wings, and Mother Quail flew off to her perch
on the fence, and Molly heard a low, plaintive
"Quoi-i-liee!" from the little birds; but they
did not follow- their mother very far. Molly
sat down in the grass, and saw the little birds
pick up the sweet grains of wheat; and Mother
Quail, after a few scolding notes, came back to
her family. But she hopped about nervously
or made little upward flights.
Molly was sure that the birds were begin
ning to know her. This time she left some
pieces of cake near the rock; and every day
for two weeks she came faithfully to visit the
Bob-Whites. By this time they began to look
for her, and these wildest of wild birds had
learned what their parents had not known ?
confidence in human beings. Aunt Elinor would
sit on the porch and watch Molly go across
the field, and see the little Bob-Whites come
almost within reach of her little nitece's hand.
Sometimes they would even follow Molly a lit
tle way toward the house in the most loving
and fearless manner, although their doubtful
mother called warningly after her family, as
though she had not conquered all her fears, or
as though she would teach them not to be too
ready to trust.
"They have learned something their mother
doesn't know, haven't they, Aunt Elinor?"
Molly declared, happily, as she looked back
toward the birds, and remembered what Aunt
Elinor had told her of the meaning of the
word "confidence." ? Selected.
600 MILES ON FOOT. A
A missionary, 'in writing to his board, re
marks that since his last letter he has traveled
in doing the work on his field 965 miles, 600 of
which were on foot. The immense amount of
strain involved m such campaigning is too lit
tle appreciated it home;? Men and Missions.