GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1927, Page 17

GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

WHY BESSIE IS NEVER

LONESOME.

(Told BLANXHE SILVER for

PETER PAN.)

Bessie's Mama was very poor and from morning until night" Bessie had to stay at home while her Mama went out to the neighbours to work. Sometimes Bessie would be so lonesome she would sit on the doorsteps and cry. One bright beautiful day Bessie was more lonesome than ever." She stood out by the gate watching the other children of the neighbourhood playing and Bessie wished they would ask her to come and play with them. "I don't see why I can't have some one to play with." Bessie sighed, and two bigs tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped upon her blue gingham apron. "I know I'm not rich like they ■" "Tut, tut, tut," laughed a soft voice right behind Bessie. She turned around. Not a soul could she see. Then Bessie heard a soft tinkly langh. "Why, can*t yon see me, I'm right here at vour feet." Bessie looked down; all she could see was the shadow her own little body made on the gravel path. "That's me, your Shadow Playmate." laughed the soft voice. "You should never be lonesome while you have me with you." "But your*e only i shadow," laughed Bessie, "Shadow PlayajAtM ro't PlftJ

"Indeed we can," Laughed the little Shadow Playmate. "If you nin, well play catcher, only of course it depends on which way you are running whether you chase me or I chase you. Besides I don't like to hear you or any little girl say they are poor'" "But if you're my real-true-shadow girl, you'll know that Mother and I

haven't any money to spare like the other neighbours around here," said Bessie wiping a tear from her eye. "It isn't money alone that makes folks rich," retorted the little shadow girl. "I haven't any money and never expect to have any, but just the same I consider myself rich because I have you with me always. Be thankful that you have two perfectly good arms and two lovely, chubby legs. You see if you didnt have all those riches I would be poor too. For if you didn't have legs and arms I wouldn't have any either. Now look at that shadow back of that fencepost. Now he might have some cause to complain. He never moves. As the sun goes down, he gets up courage enough to creep around on the other side of the fence. Well, whenever I begin to feel sorry for myself, I just look around me and by the time I get through looking I find so many other shadow folks worse off than I am, I'm real happy with my blessings."

"Well, of all things!" laughed Bessie, happy once more. "You dear little Shadow Playmate. I never thought of counting arms and legs as part of one's wealth. But I can see now I am rich for I'm a healthy little girl and I'm very glad you're my" Shadow Playmate. Pll promise you one thing TO never be alone again. I don't care if you're catching me or Fm ohaning you." "And when we get tired of playing, well go inside and do up all the work before your Mama comes home," laughed Shadow Playmate. "Well even set the table and have supper all ready." Away they ran over the yard, having a merry time. Sometimes Shadow Playmate chased Bessie and sometimes Bessie chased the Shadow Playmate. When Bessie's Mama came home and found a good hot supper waiting for her, Bessie was happier than she had ever been in all her life because she had made somebody else happy. Her Mama had a good laugh when Bessie told her about her new playmate.