SUNBEAM COLUMN

Grey River Argus, 7 August 1925, Page 8

SUNBEAM COLUMN

■WORLD, GOOD THOUGHTS TO ALL THE

“An American author Washington Ijviug, tells how a hunter, named McDougal, had a factory, or store, in Columbia River Valley, where he bought skins of wild beasts (bear, fox, etc) from Red I.idians, McDougal was a white, and the whites have often prided themselves on being more civil ised than the brown., red and black races. A young man, son of the red skin chief, Comeomly, visited the factory and was given so much brandy to drink that, he reeled away drunk, and, wleu he staggered into the Indian camp, disgusted the tribesmen by his mad antics, and then lie fell and lay in a stupor for two days. The chief went, in sorrow and indignation tc McDougal. “White man,’’ cried the Indian “you have do.ie a wrong to my son! You gave him drink that he did not know the harm of. You took advantag > of his ignorance. You turned a man into a beast.’’ ...nd too often the “superior” races have acted thus towards the “inferior” races in America, Africa, Australia and Asia. In other Words they treated the coloured people as if they did not form part of humanity.

This humanity is the most precious thin-r on ear‘h. and old Tritemius, the priest, thought «•* though at one moment he felt a little uncertain about it. As he prayed at the altar of his abbey, he heard the sad voice of a woman pleading at the door of the church. “Oh reverend sir! Give me money to save my child; my unhappy son has been Itaken captive by the Moors of Tunis, and they hold him as a slave until I pay his ransom.” “We are poor,” salt the priest. “I can only give you my prayers!”

“Sir.” she exclaimed, “Give me the two silver candlesticks on the altar. They will satisfy the Moors!” He hesitated, and then yielded. She hastened away with the silver, and in uc time, her son was ransomed and returned. Humanity is of more value than silver, gold, diamonds and profits.

A noble spirit moved the heart of the boy Theodore Wold, who lived in Connecticut State, U.S.A. At the age of six he was sent to school. Shortly fterwards another boy was admitted, a negro, and Theodore had never see i 'i black negro before. Though the negro was placed on the register, he "as treated differently from the rest—seated on a bench apart and given b n ok n- slate by himself. never being ■'bowed to ji.in the usual classes. One day Theodore begged to be permitted ‘o change his seat and sit next to T erry, the negro bov. “Oh. so you are a nigger too!” laughed the teacher, and all the school laughed. However, 'he change was allowed. White Theodore sat as comrade next to Black Terry. Theodore Weld, in later years, took the side of the coloured folk dur-

the great struggle which ended in the abolition of slavery (1863). Our stories have show.i us several things already: —

(1) That humanity is the fellowship of all peoples. “As One Man,” even though some are blind, deaf, dumb or backward. (2) It is the duty of the more civil 'sed people to help the less civilised. It is moan to take advantage, of ignor •nice.

(3) ITumnuity is more importing than so-called “ treasure, ” whether silver or any other stuff. (4) We must consider the colour ■question. The best men and women will seek to spread goodwill among the white, yellow and brown races. People who talk about the “Interna tional’’ often forget this, ami seem to think the “International” is for Germans, French, British, Americans, etc., with the brown and black masses behind the curtain. No! The “One Man’’ must include all the folks in our planet. Good thoughts always. AUNT FLORA. Ahaura. Dear Aunt Flora,—We have had a week’s rain, but it has done good to everything, and now we have had n lovely spring day. We are busy at school and are working hard for the exam. The last essay I wrote was about a motor c,ar and a horse, one of which thought it was better than the other. lam glad some of the old Sunbeams come and cheer yon up. Ro.ia and Norma won’t forget. If hey do, I will soon wake them up. Xow good thoughts and best wishes tor Sunbeams. Do write. Aunt Flora will lie getting quite old if you worry her. So do tvrite. SUNBEAM CORAL. Moonlight. Dear Aunt Flora, Uncles and Sunbeams, —Good thoughts to all the

world, I am so sorry Sunbeam Coral's mother is ill, and I hope she will get well again before long. I was so pleased to see my two letters in last week. The old Sunbeams are all coming back and your brick wall will not tumble down, Aunt Flora, because the Column is growing larger all the time. 1 cannot write a largo letter to-day so 1 will close. Love from SUNBEAM NORMA. Moonlight. Dear Au.it Flora, —Good thoughts to ■all the world. Sunbeam Norma is sick but she has not forgotten her letter. I Was pleased to see two letters in from I myself. Did any one know the answer to the riddle? I will tell you. Be- ' cause its head is on one side and its tail on the other. I wiil close now, but I must say tha.ik you for the kitten’s name first. SUNBEAM EONA. Mbonlight. Dear Aunt Flora.—l am very sorry I have not written for a long time. We are having very bad weather here lately. Have youn rend the book called “Tim Basket of Flowers?’’ It is a very nice one, but ’lls very sad. J I

got it for my present. Well, now, 1 will close, your true friend, SUNBEAM JEAN. Dear Sunbeams, —I had a letter from Uncle Jim to-day. He says he wishes t me to give his love to all His Sunbeams, and to ask them to Keep writing and sending out good thoughts. You know, Uncle Jim wants you to send him your good thoughts, as he will soon be around on his election .campaign, and your good thoughts will keep him a lot. I hope your mother is better by now, Coral. Look after mother, love her and treat her kindly, and you will be always a true Sunbeam. I hope you. get well at your examination. I, too, wish Norma that some of the dear ones would come back. Dear little Ailsa wrote last week. I was pleased, and I hope you and your mother and Snowdrop are well Ailsa. What a cold place you live in! I am sorry to lepra from you, Rona, that Norina is ill. I hope she is alright by now. Yes, I have read that book Jean, i but oh it is such a long time ago. I remember I used to cry over it; it. was i so sad. Love and good thoughts to all Sunbeams. 1 AUNT FLORA.