The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 6 December 1917, Page 45

The Family Circle

EVERY -DAY. There's a prayer that should be said, And books that should be read, - : Every day! There's a work that should be wrought, And a battle to be fought, Every day! There are duties to be done, And victories to be won, As soars and sets the sun, Every day ! There's a cross that must be borne, And a thorny chaplet worn, Every day ! But God's day shall follow night, And the darkness yield to light, ; Every day ! If in patience we are strong. We shall not suffer long, But shall beat down sin and wrong, Every day ! ; FATHER AND DAUGHTER. At the sound of the gay laughter, father looked up, startled. Then he turned back to his desk, and finished his methodical preparations for "closing up." ; It was Kittredge's girl she often came in to walk home with him. Father's gentle face settled into wistful lines; it had sounded like Betty's voice; how pleasant it would be if it had been Betty herself! . All the way home on the tram, father kept thinking of the girls. There were —Martha, who was engaged to young Dalea splendid match, everyone said; Julia, who was a beauty, and Betty. They were % splendid girls, all of them, much prettier than Dell Kittredge, and yet father's thoughts ran back to 3their babyhood ; even then he had not known how to play with them very well, but Annie had been alive 'I to help. Since she died, father had somehow lost | touch with his girls. He had worked harder and ; harder as the cost of living increased, but it needed J something more than that he wished that he could : ask Kittredge what it was. % Dinner was ready when father reached home; it was a good dinner, and the girls chatted gaily about | their dresses, and friends, and plans. They did not j talk to father, and he ate in silence. After dinner he | went into the parlor to read the newspaper; but presently young Dale appeared, and father knew that he ■and Martha did not want anyone else about. He wandered out on the piazza; but finding a gay group - of young people there with Julia, he went slowly upstairs. - Betty, as she passed the door of his room, saw him sitting there in the dark. | "All alone?" she asked. | "All alone, Betty," he answered. He tried to £ say it cheerfully, as if he did not care, but Betty came *im|J,._./ d r : ; ■ ■■.-* ? IT "I wish I could stay," she said, "but Dell Kitt- % redge is waiting for me downstairs, and I've promised | to go down to the library with her." I 'Dell Kittredge!" father exclaimed. | "Why, yes—why, daddy, what's the matter?" g "Nothing," father answered. "Run along, little | girl. I've seen her at the office sometimes, that's all. I She comes to walk home ,with her father they seem to | have great times together." : f. . The next day, when father reached the office, he I found a letter on his desk. He opened the letter with I a puzzled frown. It read: I : : v^ i "Daddy Dear,—You are cordially invited to escort I your, daughter Betty home to-night at 5 o'clock. Very' | sincerely yours. * " Elizabeth Morris."

Father read it over' three times, then he put it carefully away. 'Uii He straightened his thin shoulders, and glanced happily about the office. He looked ten years younger. •...-■• ■ .■•-.- ~:■ -•■-sAFROM THE BACK BENCH. The class was taking natural philosophy t and -the professor observed a tall, lanky youth in a rear seat, his head drooping, his body relaxed, his eyes half closed, and his legs encumbering an adjacent aisle. "Number thirty-four, back bench," said the professor. s The student opened his eyes slowly, but did not change his pose. "Number thirty-four, what is work?" "Everything is work," was the drawling reply. "Sir," exclaimed the professor, "do you mean to tell me that is a reasonable answer to my question'" "Yes, sir." J * "Then I take it that you would like me and the class to believe that this desk is work?" "•■ "Yes, sir," replied the youth wearily. "It is woodwork." - :" OUT FOR BUSINESS. At a concert for charity in a country town Miss Carter obliged by reciting "The Village Blacksmith?' At the conclusion of the recitation the rural audience cheered. * '■'•* ■■'*.,"' "Encore!" they cried. "Encore!" Miss Carter was about to grant the request when a burly fellow, very much out of breath, tapped her on the shoulder. "I've just come round from in front," whispered the man, excitedly. "I want yer to do me a favor." "Well, what is it?" queried Miss Carter. "It's this," whispered the intruder. "I happen to be the feller ye've been talking about, and I ( want yer to put in a verse this time saying as how I let out bicycles." A RABBIT PLAGUE. On one occasion the professors were made to feel the bitter irony and reckless sarcasm of one of their students. The students residing within the college dined together in the common hall. The fare, was mean, consisting generally of rabbits. The students had often grumbled but, as a professor presided .at the table, none ventured openly to complain. Each student asked the blessing by turns. One rose reverently, and said : " For rabbits young and for rabbits old, For rabbits hot and for rabbits cold, For rabbits tender and rabbits tough, Our thanks we render: for we've had enough." ' CHEERING OUTLOOK. A local preacher, who was in the habit of taking his wife with him to his preaching appointments, said on arrival at the chapel in a country town:. a "My dear, you go in there; you will be all right. I must go round to the vestry." In the vestibule the wife was met by a kindhearted steward, who conducted her to a seat. At the close of the service the same kind-hearted steward gave her a hearty shake of the hand, adding how pleaded Jae would be to see her at the services each Sunday. Then, whispering, he said | "But, let. me tell you, we don't get a duffer ljjcja this in the pulpit every Sunday." «' HISTORICAL. J The teacher in a public school was instructing the younger class in history, and after reading .the r ; lesson she closed the book and turned. to little Bessie. | "Bessie," she said, encouragingly, "it was Mary who followed Edward the Sixth, ; wasn't it?" t rjy,. f - ■ §}'._. , "Yes, ma'am," rather hesitatingly admitted the youngster. rioiWr-.0-W ~: T 'Av -/>,';' .^'■'■■ f §:'' r > "To be ? sure it was," smilingly returned, the teacher. fij."Now, then, can you tell me who followed Marvl" ~ > ■■ . -■&:-

"Yes, ma'am," quickly replied . Bessie, with a brightening countenance. "It was her little lamb!" HIS SUGGESTION. ; - . The serious-looking man was trying hard to listen to the speaker's eloquence, but the squalling of an infant in the row of seats directly ahead gave him little opportunity. Annoyance gave way to irritation, and irritation in turn was superseded by resolve. He leaned forward, touched the mother on the shoulder, and in a dispassionate tone asked: "Has your baby been christened yet?" "Why, no, sir. Why do you. ask?" "Merely because I was about to suggest that if he had not been christened you might name him ' Good Idea,' "And why 'Good Idea?'" asked the woman. "Because," the man struggled hard to suppress his feelings, "it ought to be carried out." COULDN'T FOOL DADDY. Our little girl had a mania for marking books with lead pencils. One day her father discovered one of his choicest books scratched from top to bottom, resembling a picket fence. When he asked her why she had marked daddy's book like that she looked up at him very wistfully with her big brown eyes, then a bright smile came over her countenance and she quickly asked: "How did you know my writing, Daddy?" WHERE THE WOOL COMES FROM. In addressing a group of small children recently, one of the workers of the American Humane Education Society tried to impress on their minds the fact that they obtain a great many of the necessaries of life from the animal kingdom. "Where do you get your milk and butter and cheese?" she asked. "Cows," answered most of the children, although some replied, "From the store." "And eggs?" demanded the instructor. "Hens," answered those who did not answer "Store." "And wool?" asked the instructor. There was only one answer to this question: "The store." "Yes," said the instructor, "but how does it get into the store ? Now think, woolwool, you get wool from the back ofwhat?" Expectantly she awaited the answer; presently it came from a small girl in the front seat: "Back of the counter!" SMILE-RAISERS. Daughter (reading letter from brother in France) : "Dear mother and sister, the pudding you sent was 'it.' ".-..■'• Mother: "What a shame! With one of those shrapnels, I suppose." "Yes, my man," Mrs. Hard said to a tramp the other day; "yes, I'll give you a square meal if you'll cut the grass, weed out the flower bed, clean the motor car, wash the windows " "Excuse me, lady," said the tramp, as, touching his hat politely, he prepared to move off; "excuse me, but I'm only a peregrinatin' pedestrian— ain't yer husband." The Morning Caller: "Vos you ze man vot safe mine little poy from drowning yesterday?" " The Rescuer (genially): "Yes, I am." The Morning Caller: "Zen vhere's his cap?" Sergeant: "Why do you want particularly to be drafted into the Seventy-fifth Infantry Rookie: "I want to be near me brother that's. in - the Seventy-sixth." : -.a..;' }.-:.-