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Show . .Mt Soys ana ED'TED SY AUNT BUSY. This department Is conducted m.i . est-, of our plrl and boy reader lntei Aunt Busy Is glad to hear m,t tin, . r.lcces nn3 nephews who read thu I. from th i iftem all the advice and help in g6, and t0 Write on one side of the Xer on. " Do not have letters too lone y I Original stories and verse win . and carefully edited. Do Eladly receive, v,L? , The manuscripts of contribution, t, w be relumed. uons nt accepted win Address all letters to Ann Catholic. Fait Lak, City. T lntermounta!a i 4 Helpful Deeds. ''How are you coin"- tr n0 j nd charity. TVvVere sj.tid I h?M? f0"1 ,,vorks lile parlor .hioh and pmk. Laura was c-nimino- o j t PeGJ from a china plate, on f Aife hovcniifr over a spray of wild honevsuckle On ill plate was a Preat golden orange, a Kna t half-dpzen marshmallowa. Miss Joyce was sewW on a coarse gingham dress for a poor eS g Laura bepran earnestly: "I want to go to the country, but we cannot afford that this year. Once when I was wislnng I had more time to read, mamma, mam-ma, promised me if I would pass ninety in my examination ex-amination I should have the entire vacation to do .just as I pleased I am to stop my music and will have no work to do." ''Will you enjoy that ?" and Miss Joyce wondered if Laura's mother would do the extra work "I am sure I shall. But I must go now, as mamma mam-ma told rne to be at home at six." "I will not bid you good-bye until Sunday" and Miss Joyce rose to accompany her little friend to the door for I do not leave for Canada until next week. As you are to have so much time I wonder it you would not enjoy visiting some of the people. Read to them and cheer them up. Or would vou call that work V do h" 0UrSe' "mss Jyce' 1 v:oul(1 be glad t0 "Here is a card with a few names if you wih to visit them. Anr, Laura" J . Vhat is it, Miss Joyce?" I "Think of all these summer days in which you are to do just as you please. I hope, dear, it will be your pleasure to be helpful, a real pleasure. I J j mean," and kissing the child, she dismissed her." "f Those words came back to Laura the next Satur- 1 day morning as she lay in the hammock trying to decide how to spend the day. She had read and done a little fancy work, spent an afternoon in the park, and visited her girl friends. Already she had found it not so pleasant as she had thousht, this pleasing self. She missed the cheery feeling of helpfulness, and seemed shut out from the family circle. . Laura's parents were not wealthy, and her help was often needed. Mrs. Stevens had consented to this plan, hoping thereby to cure her daughter of selfishness and knowing that the mother care would soon be missed. Laura slowly entered the sitting room where her mother was caring for the fretful baby, while Cousin Jane, who made her home with them, was sewing. Little Roy ran to Laura. "Tell me the stories in my book." Roy could not read, but never tired of stories. "Oh! sister hasn't time this morning." "JIumph!" this from Cousin Jane, who never looked up from the sewing machine. ""What makes baby so cross, mamma?" asked Laura. "His teeth, I think; I wish I had time to take him for a ride." Laura knew she ought to say, "I'll take him," but she did not, and after fidgeting around announced, an-nounced, "I believe IH go and see some poor people peo-ple Miss Joyce asked me to call on." "Very well." was her mother's reply. "Should thing you would be afraid it would be a little like work," said Cousin Jane, sarcastically, but Laura left the room without replying. "I wonder where my cream lawn is?" queried Laura, as she hunted through the closet. "It was in the wash, but I do not see it," and running down stairs she demanded, "Mamma, where is my cream lawn?" "It is not ironed. Dolly has been very busy this v it week." i "But I want to wear it." "I am sorry, my daughter, but as your work is 'y done by Dolly and myself, I do not think you should J complain." I Laura said no more, but went back to her room ?M and slowly put on a blue cambric. "It is too bad of mamma," she thought, "when I was trying to do the work Miss Joyce asked me to do. 'Helpful deeds,' she said." When she passed down stairs Roy and baby were both crying, but she never thrught here was a call for "heipful deeds" in her own home, but passed on without entering the sitting room. The first name on her card -was Mrs. Wade, 19 , Arch street, but she called on Kitty Tompkins on the wcy and stayed to luncheon, so it was two o'clock before she knocked at the door and heard a low voice bid her enter. Laura hardly knew how to begin, but Mrs. "Wade ;: out her hand, saying, "You are very welcome, my dear." "Miss Jovce asked me to come and see you." "Dear Miss Joyce. She has been a very angel to me." Here a paroxysm of coughing shook the slender form- When she was able to speak again she asked Laura to take the rocking chair and lay aside her hat. Mrs. Wade was a widow, and her twp rooms were shared by a girl cousin, who worked in a factory. The girl's earnings, and a very small income of the invalid's, barely supplied the necessaries of life. With labored breath thepoor woman told of Miss Joyce's kindness. "She sends us food and clothing and has made my last days comfortable. God will reward her." . , , Laura was touched and asked if she could do H anything for her. "Read me a little, if you will, dear. My eyes J'' 1 rouble me and I love to read from these books of t i devotion Miss Joyce gave me.'' ; Laura read for half an hour, and as she turned the haves to find the selected passages, she wondered won-dered to find her companion so cheerful and happy. . "You have brightened a dull day for me, and now I wish vou would tell me something of yourself. your-self. I am sure you are one of Miss J oyce s jewels, as she calk her coterie of young girl friends Laura told her many things of home and school, and at last told her how her vacation was to be snent. "And who does your work? Laura hardly knew how to reply. 'Why. mam ma and Dolly, I guess, or it is not done. 1 never L thought of that." , -iJr "I lost my mother when I was only a year older "Wa'" face was scarlet and j he leaned forward to look at a white geranium in the window to avoid meeting Mrs. Wede's. eyes. , u , "Have I been so wicked!'; she thought, and Mis Joyce said to be helpful.- Then, moved by one of the impulses that of ten swayed her, the wayward but lovmp Jirl knelt by the couch asd cried: "Oh, Mrs. Wade, I never think5!1'' hW Sdfish h WaS' What wiU iIiss Joy$e ."What will God think?" and in a low, broken voice she taught, the child of the beauty of a life devoted to others. "Helpful deeds are all around you, and, dear, the nrst work God expects of us is in our homes. There our lights should shine, there good be done. Ah! home is all the place I can work, for I have only a lew days more. Do not look so sad. God has promised, prom-ised, I will never leave you nor forsake you,' and I nnd the promise true. Death is only the open door to a better life." When Laura bade Mrs. Wade good-bye she promised prom-ised to. come often, and hurried home to begin to practice the lesson learned. "How still the house is, she thought, and, meeting Dolly in the hall, asked, "Where are they all?" "Miss Jane took the children over to the island 1 Icl"f'- anc -vour mamma is lying down with the baby. They think you must not have all the pleasure," and, tossing her head, Dolly passed on. Poor Laura ! She would have enjoyed the picnic, but he knew that Cousin Jane had served her right, so, bravely fighting her tears, she hurried upstairs and, putting on a gingham dress, descended to the sitting room. The room was not in good order, and needed sweeping. An hour's hard work followed. She filled the vases with pale, yellow roses, arranged clean tidies on the chairs, and surprised Dollyby offering to set the tea table. When this was done she heard mother and ran to meet her. "Mamma, the lazy girl is gone. Will you welcome Laura back and forgive her?" The cozy sitting room told its own story. Mrs. Stevens issed her daughter, asking, "What opened your eyes, my child?" Laura told her story. "Mamma, I am so ashamed. T never really thought work pleased our Heavenly Father, but now I think He knows I want to do better, and will help me." Laura wa sa busy, happy girl the remainder' of the vacation. The music lessons were resumed; she visited Mrs. Wade twice each week, often carrying her fruit and flowers, and, the best of all,' her mother was lightened of many a burden. Miss Joyce rejoiced at the change, and Laura learned that work done for others brings its own reward. True Voice. Sunshine in the Face. Sunshine in the face is a natural consequence of sunshine in the. heart. The following little stoiy from the Christian Endeavor World carries its cwn lesson to those young people who are trying to make their influence count for good. In a certain retail store are two young Indy clerks. Their counters are side by side. One clerk speaks fluently two or three languages, is quick at figures and keeps her counter in beautiful shape. But, judging from the looks of her face, you would think that some time she had ben in a thunderstorm, thunder-storm, from the effects of which she had turned sour. The other lady knows no foreicrn language, and cannot speak even her own mother tongue very well. She is rather slow at figures, and her counter coun-ter does not always look in the best shape. But oh! what a sunny, winsome face she has; and customers flock about her like bees about a honey bush in full bloom. One day, the floor walker overheard an old country coun-try aunty request the sunny-faced girl to wait on her from the other counter. "But that is not my counter," replied the girl. "Ach!" whispered the aunty from foreign shores. "Xebber mind. You wait on me. She" shrugging her shoulders "she so sour face!" Canzonet for Our Lady's Birthday. (Feast of the Nativity B. V. M., September S.) In little things God often veils His grandest mysteries; The tiniest mustard-seed becomes The greatest of all trees. (0 little daughter of the King! 0 Rose fresh blown thy birth we sing!) A little Babe a little host-In host-In both doth Christ abide; A little Lamb a little Dove The Son and Spirit hide! (0 little Mother of the King! Pure lily bud! thy birth we sing!) By little virtues, God o'er throws Gigantic sin and wrong; The weak things of the world He chose To overcome the strong. (0 little spouse of mightiest King! Yiolet-bloom ! thy birth we sing!) 'Tis by this little handmaid pure (The humble Mary) He Crushes the serpent head; through her, Destroys all heresy! (O new-born Queen of heaven's King! Flower of flowers! thy birth we sing!) Eleanor C. Donnelly. Theodora's Legacy. Theodora Morton, radiant as a June morning, tripped smilingly into her neighbor's room. "How did you dream I was longing to go to the orchestra concert this afternoon?" she cried, dropping drop-ping lightly down beside the one lying on the lounge. "Perhaps a little bird whispered in my ear," Miss Carruthers answered, feasting her eyes on Theodora's The-odora's girlish loveliness of face and figure. "The soloist is a wonderful violinist I know how your music-loving soul will delight in him. Shall you ask your aunt to accompany you?" "Auntie is spending the day with Aunt Lewis, who has an old school friend visiting her. I thought I would invite Cousin Anita Morton, and we shall both think of you through every moment of the beautiful treat." Miss Carruthers' slender fingers patted the soft pink cheek of Theodora caressingly. "What an enthusiastically en-thusiastically happy little mortal you are, Theo," she smiled. "Do you ever get out of sorts with yourself, or with anybody else ?" Theodora nodded her-brown head, and her face suddenly sobered. "I wish I didn't. It seems wicked to be anything but glad and happy every hour we live in God's beautiful world." A little later Theodora passed down the walk ' bordered with sweet alyssum and pink graniums. hurried to the corner and hailed an approaching car. A ride of ten minutes brought her to Anita's home. Here a disappointment awaited Theodora when she found her cousin had gone away for the day. She hastened to board the first returning enr, wondering the while whom she'd better invite to share her concert tickets. As she sat thinking, she suddenly became aware that the girl two seats ahead wore a strangely familiar air. "Why, it's Beulah Birch!" Theodora said to hcr self with a look of mingled delight and dismay. "Oh, I wonder if she will speak to me." Evidently there was no danger, since Beulah was absorbed in a book, and did not once raise her eyes. Theodora regarded her with mingled feelings. A year ago Beulnh and she had 'been inseparable friends, and. at the same time, friendly competitors for a music scholarship. Beulah had won it; the day afterwards she heard that Theodora had said "won it unfairly." The es! n:gcment that ensued had been the talk of the little cdmmunitv. When Beulah Birch left for the city it was known she had departed without saying good-byo to Theodora.-What Theodora.-What the community did not know was that Theo dora had written to Beulah, protesting her innocence, inno-cence, and that the letter had been returned unopened. un-opened. Theodora sat regarding her old friend with longing long-ing eyes. "I do love her. Oh, she must let me convince con-vince her that I never said that dreadful thing." With paltipating heart and cheeks the color of a pink rose, Theodora arose, passed the two ladies in the next seat, and paused beside the girl reading. "Beulah! How glad I am to see you agaiu! How well you look! I " A "Theodora! Oh, you dear!" In an instant the book was closed, the reader made room beside her and was clasping the other's hand delightedly. "I'm on my way to see you to acknowledge my error. Can you forgive me? You see " "Please don't, Beulah! I don't care for anything, any-thing, since I know that you still love me." The two girls flitted down the street, and the two ladies from the car window looked after them with smiling eyes'. Then one remarked: "If Theodora Morton's mother never left her daughter another thing, she left her a legacy in a forgiving spirit." "The girl who has that is rich," answered the other. At School. Xever be late. - Always start in time. Punctuality Punctual-ity helps others and helps yourself. Always say "Good morning" on leaving the school room. Be prompt to render service to your teacher, cleaning the blackboard, etc. When visitors enter, rise, stand on both feet, and let the arms fall naturally to the sides. Remain Re-main standing until a signal is given to be seated. If spoken to by a visitor, always stand to answer. Never borrow at school; it is the foundation of a very bad habit. Never use the property of others without their permission. If you meet a teacher or visitor in the halls, stand aside and let them pass, inclining the head slightly. Be kind and willing to play with all, as you would have others do to you. Xo screaming, pushing or quarreling on the playground. Never hurt the feelings of your companions, and never criticise the dress of a poorer child. Our Lord teaches us this lesson : "Learn of Me, because I a mmeek and humble of heart." From "How, Why and When for Catholic Children." |