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O wise person ever expects children to be perfect--grown people are
not--still all can try to overcome their faults and grow wiser day by
day.
Although little May was a very sweet child, as she grew older she began
to fret about little things, and one day when she was urged to learn her
lesson in arithmetic she said, "I wish I never had to see another old
arithmetic; I hate them all!"
May's mother was very patient, and she had her own thoughts about
punishing children. When her little daughter showed such ill-temper she
said, quietly: "May dear, I am going out to do some errands; would you
like to go?"
May was delighted; she would do any thing to get away from her hateful
book. Their first visit was to a shop where fruit was sold, and then to
a florist's where the lady bought some flowers.
"Now where shall we go, mamma?"
"You will see presently, my dear. We will take a car and make a call on
a friend of mine."
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At last they got out and went up some steps, where a lad answered their
ring at the door.
When they entered they saw a little girl seated on a chair with her
hands folded. She was blind. She heard their footsteps and said, "Please
be seated, ladies."
"How long have you been blind, dear?" asked May's mother.
"Four years, madam. I was very ill and have never seen the light since."
"You must remember many things which you saw before your illness?"
"Oh, yes; and it makes me very happy. I know just how the grass looks,
and how blue the sky is, and when I am tired I think of it over and
over."
After some more conversation the matron came in and gladly welcomed
May and her mother. "I would like to show my little girl through the
school," said the latter, and the matron kindly took them into various
rooms. Not one of the children could see, yet all seemed happy and busy.
Some were getting lessons, some were knitting, the boys in the work-room
were putting new seats into chairs, and yet all were blind.
It was a sad sight to little May, and after she had left the flowers and
fruit she went away looking quite thoughtful: Since that day she never
complains when asked to get a lesson, and even her music is not tiresome
when she thinks of blind Maggie.