“Guess who was the happiest child I saw to-day,” said father,
taking his two little boys on his knees.
“Well,” said Jim slowly, “it was a very rich little boy, with
lots and lots of sweets and cakes.” “No,” said father. “He
wasn’t rich; he had no sweets and no cakes. What do you guess,
Joe?” “He was a pretty big boy,” said Joe, “and he was riding a
big, high bicycle.” “No,” said father. “He wasn’t big, and he
wasn’t riding a bicycle. You have lost your guesses, so I’ll
have to tell you. There was a flock of sheep crossing the city
to-day; and they must have come a long way, so dusty and tired
and thirsty were they. The drover took them up, bleating and
lolling out their tongues, to a great pump, to water them. But
one poor old ewe was too tired to get to the trough, and fell
down on the hot, dusty stones. Then I saw my little man, ragged
and dirty and tousled, spring out from the crowd of urchins who
were watching the drove, fill his hat and carry it--one, two
three--oh, as many as six times! to the poor, suffering animal,
until the creature was able to get up and go on with the rest.”
“Did the sheep say, ‘Thank you,’ father?” asked Jim gravely. “I
didn’t hear it,” answered father. “But the little boy’s face was
shining like the sun, and I’m sure he knows what a blest thing
it is to help what needs helping.”
(1394)