My Treasure Part 5

[Ill.u.s.tration: WHO IS TO BLAME?]

ONLY A BIRD.

CAN you see the old man behind his rows of cages? In them are many poor little birds. They cannot fly about in the pure sweet air. The old man sells them. That is the way he earns his money.

Then why does he look so displeased? The young man, with the empty cage in his hand, has just bought a bird and laid the money on the counter.

The young man loves birds so well that he bought one on purpose to set it free.

The old man is wis.h.i.+ng he could get the bird and sell it again. He thinks it foolish to throw away money. And he tells the young man so.

"Not thrown away, my friend," says the young man. "It is well spent if it gives pleasure even to the smallest creature."

"'Twas only a bird," insists the old man.

"But G.o.d made the birds. And not one falls to the ground without his notice. I think we shall have to give an account of the way we treat his birds."

"Well, I wish I had that one again."

"And I wish I could open all these cages."

[Ill.u.s.tration: ONLY A BIRD.]

WHAT A KISS DID.

BABY Bell thought she could do just as she pleased everywhere, and with everybody. And she generally did. She even trotted into Mrs. Burnett's, a sad, lonely woman, who lived all alone by herself in the next house.

One day she came pattering into the room where Mrs. Burnett sat. She clung to her dress. She looked up lovingly into the sad face. Then she lisped forth,--

"_Miss Nett_, Baby Bell tiss you."

Then she put up her sweet lips to give a kiss. Who could resist such a baby? Not even Mrs. Burnett. She took the child on her lap, and covered her face with kisses and tears. Baby Bell looked on wonderingly.

When papa came for her she said, "_Miss Nett_ tryin', Baby Bell tiss her lots."

Mrs. Burnett explained. "I lost a baby just her age. I felt since that I had no one to love me. But Baby Bell loves me, I am sure. I hope she will come often."

"As often as you and she wish," said papa.

"Baby Bell tum ev'y day--tum see _Miss Nett_. Baby Bell love _Miss Nett_," added the baby, looking back over papa's shoulder.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WHAT A KISS DID.]

FRANKIE MINDS MAMMA.

UNCLE SOL was going to take a party of boys out in his boat. All had scrambled in but one little fellow, the smallest of the party.

"Tumble in, Frankie," said Uncle Sol. But still Frankie hesitated.

"Don't you want to go?" asked the old sailor.

"Yes, sir," answered Frankie, slowly, "but mamma doesn't like to have me go on the water."

"Why?"

"She's afraid since papa was drowned."

"Don't go, then, my boy. Don't worry your mother. She's had trouble enough already;" and Uncle Sol began to push the boat out into the water.

"Pooh! Come on!" shouted Horace, the tallest boy in the boat. "Your mother'll never know. We'll keep dark."

"Don't you go to learnin' Frankie any bad ways," said Uncle Sol, sternly. "Boys never come to much in the world unless they mind their mother. I've always noticed that."

Horace sat down rather ashamed of his bold words. And little Frankie looked at Uncle Sol gratefully, saying, "I know mama'll be glad to have me come home:" and with a happy laugh he ran away from the boat.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FRANKIE MINDS MAMMA.]

POOR JOE.

"YOU may put on your coat now, Hugh, and take these things to Mrs.

Larry. You have barely time before school, you must hurry."

"Must I go this morning, mother, why can't I go to-night, or this noon?"

"There'll not be time at noon. And before night Joe may want some of these things. You may do, however, just as you think you would like to have Joe do, if he was in your place and you in his. Poor Joe needs better food than his mother is able to buy. You wouldn't have him suffer for the sake of skating, would you?"

Hugh thought a minute. At last he said, "I know if I was in Joe's place, I should want somebody to bring me a heap of things. Guess I'll go, mother."

His mother smiled to hear him whistle as he ran from the yard. Just before school he rushed in.

"Say, mother, can I buy Joe some oranges? He's white--he's white as your ruffled ap.r.o.n. I've fifty cents. I'll spend half for Joe."

Hugh's mother kissed him before she said yes. And her eyes filled with glad tears as he ran out whistling more merrily than before.