Story Lessons on Character-Building (Morals) and Manners Part 4

VI. KINDNESS.

17. Squeaking Wheels.

A lady was one day taking a walk along a country lane, and just as she was pa.s.sing the gate of a field a horse and cart came out, and went down the road in the same direction as she was going, and oh! how the wheels did squeak! The lady longed to get away from the sound of them. First she walked very quickly, hoping to get well ahead; but no, the horse hurried up too, and kept pace with her. Perhaps =he= disliked the squeaking, and wanted his journey to be quickly finished. Then she lingered behind, and sauntered along slowly, but squeak, squeak--the hateful sound was still there. At last the cart was driven down a lane to the right, and now the lady could listen to the songs of the birds, the humming of the bees, and the sweet rustle of the leaves as the wind played amongst them. "How much pleasanter," thought she, "are these sounds than the squeaking of the wheels."

I wonder if you have ever seen any little children who make you think of those disagreeable wheels? They are children who do not like to lend their toys, or to play the games that their companions suggest, but who like, instead, to please themselves.

Do you know what the wheels needed to make them go sweetly? They needed oil. And the disagreeable children who grate on us with their selfish, unkind ways, need =another= sort of oil--the oil of kindness. =That= will make things go sweetly; so we will write on the blackboard

(Blackboard)

Squeaking Wheels need Oil.

Children need the Oil of Kindness.

18. Birds and Trees.

Did you know that trees and birds, bees and flowers could be kind to each other? They =can=; I will tell you how.

See the pretty red cherries growing on that tree. All little children like cherries, and the birds like them too.

A little bird comes flying to the cherry tree and asks, "May I have one of these rosy little b.a.l.l.s, please?"

"Yes, little bird," says the cherry tree; "take some, by all means."

So the bird has a nice fruit banquet with the cherries, and then, what do you think =he= does for the tree?

"Oh!" you say, "a little bird cannot do =anything= that would help a big tree." But he can.

When he has eaten the cherry he drops the stone, and sometimes it sinks into the ground, and from it a young cherry tree springs up. The tree could not do that for itself, so we see that

(Blackboard)

Birds and Trees are Kind to Each Other.

19. Flowers and Bees.

When you have been smelling a tiger-lily, has any of the yellow dust ever rested on the tip of your nose? (Let the children see a tiger-lily, or a picture of one, if possible.) Look into the large cup of the lily, and there, deep down, you will see some sweet, delicious juice. What is it for? Ask the bee; she will tell you.

Here she comes, and down goes her long tongue into the flower. "Ah! Mrs.

Bee, the honey is for you, I see. And pray, what have you done for the flower? Nothing, I'm afraid."

"Oh, yes, I have," hums the bee. "I brought her some flower-dust (pollen) on my back from another tiger-lily that I have been visiting to make her seeds grow. When I dip down into the flower some of the 'dust'

clings to me, so I take it to the next tiger-lily that I visit, and she is very much obliged to me."

You see, dear children, how the flowers help each other, and how the bee carries messages from one to another; so if

(Blackboard)

Birds and Trees, Flowers and Bees are Kind to Each Other, Much more should Children be Kind.

20. Lulu and the Bundle.

Do you remember the story of "Lulu and the Wool"? This is a true tale of the same little girl when she was grown older.

Lulu's home was at the top of a hill, and the road leading up to it was very steep. One summer evening, as Lulu walked home from town, she overtook a woman coming from market, and carrying a heavy basket as well as a bundle which was tied up in a blue checked handkerchief.

The poor woman stopped to rest just as Lulu came up to her. "Let me carry your bundle," said Lulu. And before the woman could answer she had picked it up and was trudging along.

"Perhaps your mother would not be pleased to see you carrying my bundle?" sighed the woman. "Some people think it is vulgar to be seen carrying parcels."

"It is never vulgar to be kind," answered Lulu. "That is what mother would say." So they walked on until they came to the cottage, and Lulu left the grateful woman at her own door, and forgot all about it.

Some years after, Lulu had been away from home, and, missing her train, she returned laden with parcels one dark, wet night. There was no one to meet her, no one to help to carry her parcels, and the rain was pouring down. She hurried outside to look for a cab, but there was not one to be had, so she began to walk up the hill. After going a very little way she stopped to rest, the parcels were so heavy; and just then a man came up and said: "Give me your parcels, miss, they seem too heavy for you". And Lulu, astonished, handed them to him. He carried them to the door of her mother's house, and hardly waited to hear the grateful thanks Lulu would have poured out.

Have you ever heard these words: "Give, and it shall be given unto you".

I think they came true in this little story. Do not you?

Let us all try to build a good deal of the "pure gold" of Kindness into our "Temple".

VII. THOUGHTFULNESS.

21. Baby Elsie and the Stool.

If you place your hand on your head you will feel something hard just beneath the hair. What is it? It is bone. Pa.s.s your hand all over your head and you will still feel the bone. It is called the skull, and it covers up a wonderful thing called the brain, with which we think, and learn, and remember.

A little baby girl was toddling about the room one afternoon while her mother sat sewing. The baby was a year and a half old. She had only just learned to walk, and could not talk much, but she had begun to think.

Presently she noticed a little stool under the table, and after a great deal of trouble she managed to get it out. Can you guess what she wanted it for? (Let children try to answer.) She wanted it for mother's feet to rest upon. Elsie could not =say= this, but she dragged the stool until it was close to her mother, and then she patted it, and said "Mamma,"

which meant, "Put your feet on it".

Was not that a sweet, kind thing for a one-year-old baby to do? You see she was learning to think--to think for others, and you will not be surprised to hear that she grew up to be a kind, helpful girl, and was so bright and happy that her mother called her "Suns.h.i.+ne".

If any one asked me what kind of child I liked best, I believe the answer would be this: "A child who is thoughtful of others"; for a child who thinks of others will not be rude, or rough, or unkind. Who was it slammed the door when mother had a headache? It was a child who did not think. Who left his bat lying across the garden path so that baby tumbled over it and got a great b.u.mp on his little forehead? It was thoughtless Jimmy. Do not be thoughtless, dear children, for you cannot help hurting people, if you are thoughtless; and we are in the world to make it happy, =not= to =hurt=. Thoughtfulness is a lovely jewel; let us all try to build it into our "Temple".

22. The Thoughtful Soldier.

A great soldier, Sir Ralph Abercromby, had been wounded in battle, and was dying. As they carried him on board the s.h.i.+p in a litter a soldier's blanket was rolled up and placed beneath his head for a pillow to ease his pain. "Whose blanket is this?" asked he.