Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper and Other Stories Part 14

"Poor little things," replied Edward. "Doesn't it make you feel mean to think what a jolly time we had this morning out of the snow which has covered up the places where they get their food?"

"Let us get some food from Grandma and throw it out to them," said Ralph. "Perhaps they will find it."

The little birds were soon chirpping and flying about merrily and Ralph said it sounded as if they kept saying, "thank you."

Will not other little children be as kind as Ralph and Edward?

A KIND HEART.

The day Ethel Brown was seven years old she had a tea party.

Mrs. Brown had sent tiny cards of invitation to all the little girls on the street to come and bring their dolls. She also sent one to Nellie Day, her washer-woman's little girl, at Ethel's special request.

"She is a nice little girl," said Ethel, "and doesn't ever go anywhere like me. May I have her at my party?"

"That is right, little daughter," said Mrs. Brown. "Always be kind to those who have less pleasure than yourself. Of course she may come to your party."

They all arrived at four o'clock and looked very pretty in their white dresses and bright ribbons, and the dolls looked nearly as pretty as the little girls themselves.

Ethel noticed that Nellie Day did not have a doll with her. "So," thought she, "I will ask her to pour the tea and then she won't feel bad because she hasn't one."

The little girls talked and played games and Ethel's grown up sister played on the piano and then they sang.

"Now," said Mrs. Brown, coming into the room, "if you will choose partners, Florence will play for you and you can march out to tea."

During the confusion Ethel said to her mamma, "I shall ask Nellie to pour the tea because she has not any doll."

"Very well, dear," answered Mrs. Brown.

But when they turned to find her, she was not with the others.

"Where can she be?" exclaimed Ethel.

And then began the search. Tea was delayed and they hunted the house over for her. Finally Mrs. Brown went out on a side porch seldom used, and there she found the little girl.

The child had brought a cus.h.i.+on to sit on, and clasped tightly in her arms were three of Ethel's dolls. Mrs. Brown persuaded her to come in with the promise that she might keep the dolls.

So Ethel rang the bell, and they all marched in to tea again, with Nellie Day leading the line, holding her three dollies.

"Mamma," said Ethel, as the little girls were going home, "may I give Nellie Day the dolls? I have so many and she has not one."

"Yes indeed," replied Mrs. Brown, as she kissed her little daughter. "I am sure it will make her very happy."

And Nellie Day went home that night, the happiest little girl in the town.

TOWSER TALKS.

I am not a big dog and I don't know very much, but I know more than I used to. The reason why I know more than I used to is because I asked Carlo some questions once. I asked him what made him so gaunt and thin and why he had such an enquiring expression on his face and such a hump on the top of his head. He didn't answer right away, and--I noticed the enquiring expression vanished. He looked quite decided. Then something happened,--I don't know exactly what, but Mary, the cook, told the butler that it made her dizzy just to look on. And then Carlo said:--

"One reason why I am gaunt and thin is because I am not a little up-start of a pug,--of no earthly use under Heaven, and nothing to do but waddle around and acc.u.mulate fat.

"The reason I have an enquiring expression on my face is because I am ever on the outlook to antic.i.p.ate my master's will and do his slightest bidding.

"As for the hump on the top of my head, that is a mark given by the Creator only to dogs that have intellect. Pray that yours may grow!"

That is all he said, but it was enough for one day and has furnished me food for thought ever since.

JUST AS SHE PLEASED.

"Now, children, I am tired of you; I am going down stairs for the rest of the morning," and Polly started to leave the nursery.

"Put your dolls away before you go," said Nurse, "I don't want them left in the middle of the floor."

"I won't. I did not put them there." Polly tossed her head and ran quickly out of the room.

Nurse had baby in her lap and could not run after her.

The little girl went to the kitchen, but cook was cross and said she would not have Polly bothering her.

Then she went to the library hoping to find her Uncle Edward, but he was not there.

She wandered from room to room and could find nothing to amuse her.

She wanted to go back into the nursery, but she had told a lie when she said she had not put the dolls on the floor, and she was afraid to.

She felt lonesome and a few tears ran down her face.

At that moment Uncle Edward entered the room, and, seeing the doleful little face, took her in his arms, tossing her into the air.

As he did so, he knocked over a vase which fell to the floor, broken.

"Oh! see what you have done," cried Polly.

"I don't care. I shall say I didn't do it," replied Uncle Edward.

"Oh! But that would be a lie," said Polly.

"Well, who put the dolls on the nursery floor?"