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Show Christmas Lesson for Miss Belinda Promise to Teach Maid to Read and Write, Most Welcome Gift. By EMILY BURKS ADAMS I jA HRISTMAS was In vv,, ft evidence every- fvWf ( f j where. The whole MVVJ household were SSrla Hnirira? hnPPy save Per-jfe. Per-jfe. haps one Belinda, tJfiMWzemi? tlie ermau mald, wStSlv'Af' JlVk5 who had for six months lived with the Thoburns, a well-to-do family. "Sure, Mrs. Toburn, I've done all I thought Is right to do already, and rm pleased dot you like lt." "Yes, Belinda, and the house never looked prettier. You're quite an artist ar-tist as well as a cook. I'm glad you gave up going to visit your sister, for the good dinner tomorrow depends upon you. We shall try to make It up to you, Belinda, in some way." "Oh, do you tlnk so, Mrs. Toburn ; I am sure pleased to know dot I am ob service to you, and you are so good to me already," said Belinda, with a sigh, as she retired re-tired to her room. The Thoburns, old and young, were radio enthusiasts, enthu-siasts, and were being entertained with Christmas greetings and carols. "Mother, did you notice that Belinda seemed sad something unusual for her? I wonder If we have gotten her enough for Christmas? Christ-mas? let's see 7 Jry : there's her beads, handkerchief, hose. She will feci all right tomorrow. She really doesn't mind missing the visit with her sister, does she? She'd rather rath-er be doing all this for us, for serving serv-ing others Is what makes one happy, Isn't It, mother?" "Oh, yes, I suppose so. If the service serv-ice Isn't too hard." "Mother, what do you mean b service serv-ice being too hard? I think we should enjoy doing things for others. I can never forget the .quotation: 'To live In the hearts of others Is not to die!" I think we should enjoy doing things for others and Dot think It hard. What" "Well," Interrupted Mrs. Thohurn, "you seem to think service hard, as i you wouldn't write those letters fori lieiln'la hist evening, and one was a j ("liriptmns letter to her sister. That, probably was the cause of her li,"h." I Amy vmis listening in and h'-;:rd , over the radio: "It eery true American, Amer-ican, as a gift tu himself, give the I promise that he will teach one foreigner for-eigner how to read and write, and In so doing, help drive Illiteracy from our land. A wonderful won-derful gift to your self and to the one taught 'A s ye have done lt unto the least of these, ye have done It unto Me.' Merry Christmas to all." Amy looked at the others, her face beaming. "Oh, mother, our slogan for Educational Educa-tional week was: I 'Each one teach one; ballots, not ' bullets." "A fine slogan, Amy, If put Into Hi practice," remarked Mrs. Thoburn. Christmas morning all gathered around the tree to open their packages. pack-ages. Belinda stood In the background, back-ground, beaming at the happiness ot the others, for next to our own happiness hap-piness Is watching that of others. Box after box was handed to Belinda, but the most beautiful of all was saved until the last and presented by Amy. "Here, Belinda, a lot of love with thli box; lt contains paper, pencils, and a book and my promise to you that I'll teach you to rend and wrlle before be-fore another Christmas." "Oh, thank you, Miss Amy; din l vot I most vauted already. Oott bless you I" (. 1925. Western Newspsper Union.) |
