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Show I Christmas W We are taking orders Ladies Coc from the Victor Ls guarantee to fit and WE ALSO HAVE A I Mrs. Sawyer looked up, surprised. "Why. yes. Ben. n ill Jg -l smiled Mrs. Sawyer, "I'm sorry. I forgot for-got all about it. Well, I'll do it now. Happy New Year, Ben and Harry and Polly !" But this was not at all what they wanted. She did not say it that way when she meant It. She shouted it up the stairs the first thing in the morning, morn-ing, to get ahead o everybody else. The children felt strange and out of tune. Mother was always so jolly. It took all the fun out of things to have her this way. "We had a fine party last night, didn't we?" asked Polly. "Every one said they never had a better time." Ben looked hard at his mother. He was the oldest and, though careless and noisy, loved her very much. "It was because mother worked sc hard to give it to us," he smiled. "Those little cakes wereijust the ticket, and the ice cream oh, boy !" The other children nodded. "Sure thing," mumbled Harry, looking as solemn as an owl. Mrs. Sawyer glanced from one to another. "Children," she said, "I've got something to say to you New Year's morning. I think this is the best time, for It is the very beginning of the New Year." "Yes, mother," they all agreed. "It is the custom to say that we make new resolutions, reso-lutions, but I wish we could make new faces." "New faces!" exclaimed the children together. "Yes just that. But new faces are not made from the outside; the molding has to come from within. with-in. Faces are made by thoughts, and thoughts are our only tools. I worked for two days to make It a happy one for you and your What made you ask?" "You seem so so sort of, well" he floundered "sort of quiet." "Quiet?" asked Mrs. Sawyer. Harry and Polly Pol-ly looked at each other uneasily. What was the matter with breakfast, break-fast, anyhow? "Y'es," said Ben, "and you haven't wished one of us a Happy New Year." III Will friends. I grew very tired, but I did not mind that, If It gave you pleasure. You say you had a good time, but this morning is the first I have heard about It." "Oh, mother:" they wailed, conscience-stricken. "You take too much for granted children. And if you don't begin to think a little about other people and j what they are doing and feeling, you will grow up having very disagreeable faces. I want you all to try to have new faces' this year. Make your eyes see nine things about others; make your mouths say kind words whenever when-ever you can. Next New Year's morning morn-ing I'd like to shout a 'Happy New Year,' and mean it. I want 'to see harpy faces not because you have a good time, but because" you have helped to 'shine up' the world for otl ers." "Yes, mother," replied all the chil-drcn. chil-drcn. anil then they gut up with one accord una ran around the table and kissed her. |