The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 8 November 1917, Page 45

The Family Circle

A BOY’S TRIBUTE. Prettiest girl I’ve ever seen Is Ma ; Lovelier than any queen Is Ma. Girls with curls go walking by, Dainty, graceful, bold, and shy, But the one that takes my eye Is Ma. Every girl made into one Is Ma. Sweetest girl to look upon Is Ma. Seen ’em short and seen ’em tall, Seen ’em big and seen ’em small, But the finest one of all Is Ma. Best of all the girls on earth Is Ma. One that all the rest is worth Is Ma. Some have beauty, some have grace, Some look nice in silk and lace, But the one that takes first place Is Ma. Sweetest singer in the land Is Ma. She that has the softest hand Is Ma. Tenderest, gentlest nurse is she, Full of fun as she can be, And the only girl for me Is Ma. Bet if there’s an angel here It’s Ma. If God has a sweetheart dear, It’s Ma. Take the girls that artists draw, An’ all the girls I ever saw, The only one without a flaw Is Ma, ACTS OF KINDNESS. When the years have slipped by and memory runs back over the path you have come, you will be glad you stopped to speak to every friend you met, and left them all with a warmer feeling in their hearts because you did so. You will be glad, too, that you kept back the unkind word which formed itself on your lips. Much of the sorrow of life comes from giving way to the spirit of evil and not listening to the angel of good when the two strive in the heart. And then, you will be glad that you were happy when doing the small everyday things of life; that you served the best you could in earth’s lowly round. You will be glad that men have said all along your way, “I know I can trust him; he is as true as steel.” You will be glad you shut your ears tight against all the evil things men said about another and tried the* best you could to stay those words winged with poison. You will be glad that you were always bright and cheery, though sometimes pain made it cost you sorely to keep your heart sweet. You will be glad that you lifted at every wheel which turned hard, and tugged back at none when the load was heavy. ONLY ONE GATEWAY INTO TRUE CHURCH. The Catholic Church is a city to which avenues > lead from every side towards which men may travel from any quarter, by the most diversified roads by the .*

thorny and rugged ways of strict investigation, by the more flowery paths of sentiment and feeling. Arrived at its precincts, all find that there is but one gate whereby they may enter, but one door to the sheep —narrow and low, perhaps, and causing flesh and blood to stoop in passing in. Men may wander about its outskirts, they may admire the goodliness of its edifices, and of its bulwarks, but they can not be its denizens and children if they enter not by that one gate of absolute, unconditional submission to the teaching of the Church.— Cardinal Wiseman. LUCK. The luck that I believe in Is that which comes with work, And no one ever finds it Who’s content to wish and shirk; The men the world calls “lucky” Will tell you, every one. That success comes not by wishing, But by hard work, bravely done. REVEALED! Young Smithkins meant well, but he was not an expert in fashions. So when he was sent in an emergency to report a very smart wedding, he was glad to take advantage of the friendly tips of a woman reporter who took pity on him. “That’s Lady Betty Blank with the pink plastron,” she whispered, among other information. Next morning she nearly fainted with horror when she read ; “Lady Betty Blank looked most charming, and by a very tasteful arrangement of silk and lace managed successfully to conceal the pink porous plaster which her ladyship’s rather delicate health compels her to wear.” WHERE THE SCOTS WERE. At a Glasgow cinema, the Battle of the Somme film was being shown, and sitting side by side were a Highlander and an English Tommy. When the reel depicting the English regiments going “over the top” was shown on the screen, Tommyturned to his companion and said : “Where are all the bloomin’ Jocks now, the men who get the name of doing all the fighting?” “Ah, weel now,” was the reply, “I’m thinking: they’re most probably up in the front line haudin’ the 1 Germans back ta let you English chaps get your photosta’en!” TALLER ORDER. Jones had been a member of the glorious company of the workless for some time, so that when the offer of work as a carter came Jones jumped at it. But even to be a carter requires experience, particularly in loading up, and when one has a twowheeled spring cart to load it is better not to put all the goods at the back. This, however, was what Jones; did, with the consequence that, when they were going: uphill the horse, unable to stand the strain, stopped. It did not strike our friend that his method of loading was at fault. He tried vainly to induce his steed to proceed, and then, noticing that the animal’s feet only just touched the ground, he turned and drove back at full speed to his guv’nor. “Haven’t you got a taller horse, guv’nor?” he queried, artlessly. “This one ain’t high, enough for the work !” HIS WISH. V: Five-year-old Willie often played with a neighbor boy, John. One rainy day, the two were just starting across the clean kitchen floor at Willie’s home when, the latter’s mother, noting their muddy shoes, headed them off and sent them out to play on the porch, where the following conversation took place: " . -

“My. mother don’t care how much I run over the kitchen floor,’' said John. There was a long interval of silence. Then Willie said: “I wish I had a nice dirty mother like you’ve got.” A BRAVE GIRL. Do you think your sister likes me, Tommy ?” “Yes; she stood up for you at dinner.” “Stood up for me ! Was anybody saying anything against me ?” “No; nothing much. Father said he thought you were rather a donkey, but sis got up and said you weren’t, and told father he ought to know better than judge a man by his looks.” ~ SMILE-RAISERS. Little Girl: “Please, have you a sheep’s head? Facetious Butcher: “No, my dear; only my own. Little Girl: “It won’t do. Mother wants one with brains in it.” “Did your late employer give you a testimonial “Yes, but it doesn’t seem to do me any good.” “What did he say?” “He said I was one of the best men his firm had ever turned out.” “Charles,” said the teacher, “do you know what the word ‘celerity’ means?” “Yes’m,” said Charles. “It’s something you put hot plates down with.” “Willie, your master’s report on your work is very bad. Do you know that when Woodrow Wilson was your age he was head of the school?” “Yes, pa; and when he was your age he was President of the United States.” Mistress: “If that nail in your boot gives you such pain, Louisa, why don’t you take a hammer and knock it down ?” Louisa: “No, thank you, mum. When I think what the soldiers are sufferin’ in the trenches, I don’t see why I shouldn’t do my bit.” A bishop was travelling in a mining country and encountered an old man turning a windlass which hauled up ore out of a shaft. It was his work to do this all day long. His hat was off, and the sun was pouring down on his unprotected head. “Don’t you know the sun will injure your brain if you expose it like that said the bishop. The man wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the clergyman. “Do you think I’d be doing this all day if I had any brains?” he said. “Say, waiter,” said the travelling man to the hotel waiter, “what kind of chicken do you call this?” “That’s a Plymouth Rock, I believe,” replied the waiter. “I’m glad it has some claim to historical mention,” said the man. “I thought it was just an ordinary cobblestone.” Mother; “You should save your money, Willie. The price of everything is going up. Willie: “Then why save it, mamma? The longer I save it the less you can buy with it.” In Cornwall there was a case involving the ownership of an eight-day clock. After listening to the parties the judge said to the plaintiff: “You get the clock.” “What do I get?” complained the defendant. “You get the eight days.”