THE FAMILY CIRCLE

New Zealand Tablet, 11 February 1915, Page 62

THE FAMILY CIRCLE

SUPPOSE.

Suppose you keep a diary of the hurtful things you say And the heeedless deeds you’re doing in the turmoil of the day ; Suppose you keep a diary of the selfish things you do, Don’t you think that it would help to made a kinder man of you ?

Suppose some wintry evening when you’re sitting all alone.

You could read your careless speeches, and recall the bitter tone

That had hurt a brother’s feelings as the past came in review.

Don’t you think that it would help to make a gentler man of you ?

If you wrote down every meanness that in haste you’re guilty of, Every little selfish action, every thoughtless kick and shove

That you gave a slipping brother, as your toil you you hurried through, Don’t you think that it would help .to make a better man of you ?

TEDDY AND HIS POSTMAN FRIEND.

One morning, a few days before Christmas,. Teddy Andrews and Carroll Smith were playing in the street in front of Carroll’s house. They each had a roller skate apiece, and by holding on to a broomstick each boy was trying to skate on one foot. It- was lots of fun, and they were clear around the block when Teddy saw some white papers in the grass close to the sidewalk.

‘Two letters and a little package!’ he cried, picking them up. ‘ The postman must have dropped them for they’ve got stamps on them and haven’t been opened.’

‘ Oh, that one’s a Christmas gift! Quick, let’s see what's in it!’ said Carroll, trying to take it out of his hand.

‘ No, we daren’t ! ’Tisn’t ours,’ answered Teddy, pulling back.

‘ It is ours if we find it, isn’t it?’

‘ Not when we know it’s the postman’s. Which way do you suppose he went?’ Teddy ran down the street as fast as he could go. Now he wanted to see what was in that package just as much as Carroll did, but he was an honest boy and he knew it would not be right to open it. . By and by he caught rip with the mail carrier, and he cried, all out of breath, ‘ Wait, postman; you have dropped something!’ When the carrier heard that he stopped quickly and began looking at his bags running over with bundles. Sure enough ! there was one with a loose string, and from it the letters were slipping out. lie looked almost scared as he asked, ‘ Where did you find them?’ Then he went back slowly over the block to see if he had dropped any more, and Teddy helped ; but no more were found, and, thanking the boy, he hurried on his round.

When Christmas morning came, Teddy found a little box among the mail at his house with just his first name on it. Inside there was some nice candy and a little note which said, Merry Christmas to my honest little friend. I might have lost my job if it had not been for you.—Postman.’

WHAT THEY ARE.

‘What,’ inquired the Sunday school teacher of her youthful pupils, ‘ what are divers diseases Bashful or ignorant, the scholars clung tenaciously to the doctrine that little boys should be seen and not heard. -

Com©, pursued the teacher, ‘can’t any of you tell me?’ • J . J

Then Johnnie’s arm shot up. ‘ Well ?’ asked the teacher. 1 lease, Miss,’ answered Johnnie, water on the brain.’