“Have you recollected that this is the first day of winter, Mary?” asked
Isabel Gordon as she came into the room where her younger sister was
seated with her atlas spread before her, busily engaged in preparing her
lessons for the next day.
“I have not thought of it before,” replied Mary, quietly.
“But now you do think of it, Mary, do you remember what we agreed to do
on this day? Christmas will soon be here now, you know.”
“In little more than three weeks. Yes, Isabel, I know what you are
thinking of. We agreed to open our banks to-day, and see how much we
have saved to spend for Christmas gifts.”
“Yes, that is it,” replied Isabel, joyfully. “I am so glad that we can
open them at last. I want to know how much we have saved. Shall I bring
them now?”
“If you please. I have just finished learning my geography lesson.”
Isabel ran to the closet, and quickly returned with two money-boxes, or
banks, in her hand. She gave one to her sister, and taking the other
herself, they both succeeded, without much difficulty, in making an
opening so that they could get at the treasure within. For nearly a year
the little girls had saved almost every penny which had been given them,
that they might have the pleasure of giving as well as receiving the
pretty holiday gifts.
“Well, Mary, how much have you?” asked Isabel, as she finished counting
the pile of pennies, sixpences, and shillings which lay before her.
“Four dollars and a few pennies,” answered Mary. “I did not think I had
so much.”
“And I have a little more than _five_ dollars,” said Isabel,
triumphantly. “You know I saved the gold dollar which grandfather gave
me, and you did not. Are you not sorry that you spent it?”
“Not at all, Isabel. That dollar has done more good in the last two
months than it would have done lying in our little banks. You know I
bought a nice pair of shoes and some stockings for Susan Green, that she
might attend the sabbath school. Her teacher says she is learning very
fast, and is one of the best children in her class.”
“Well, never mind that now, Mary. Let us talk about the best way to
spend our money. What will you buy for father and mother? I am going to
work a pair of slippers for father, and I shall buy a pretty worked
collar for mother. I heard her say the other day that she needed some
new collars.”
“Have you time to embroider a pair of slippers?” asked Mary.
“Oh yes! Ellen Shaw taught me a new way. I shall buy the slippers ready
made, and then embroider them with gold thread. They will cost me about
a dollar, and mother’s collar will be nearly two. Then I must buy a
present for Betsey; a new apron will please her, I think, and will not
cost too much. I have a nice plan for spending the remainder of the
money; but first let me hear what you are going to do with yours.”
“I shall buy a handsome inkstand for father’s desk. You know he broke
his large one the other day, and is using an old one of mother’s now. I
will try to get one just like that which he broke. For mother I will buy
a beautiful rose-bush to put upon her flower-stand. For Betsey I shall
have a nice warm hood. I am to buy the materials, and mother has
promised to help me make it. There will still be as much as a dollar and
a half remaining, and mother says that if this is expended prudently it
will do a great deal of good. I have not quite decided what to do with
it, but I think I shall make a nice warm coverlet for that poor old man
and his wife whom we went to see last week. I heard the old woman
telling mother that she often suffered dreadfully with rheumatism during
the winter; and when I looked around and saw what a miserable shanty
they have to shelter them, I could hardly keep from weeping.”
“But I dare say that some one else will give them a coverlet,” replied
Isabel, with a look of disappointment, “and I want you to put your money
with mine, and buy a pretty present for our teacher. We can get a very
pretty work-box for three dollars, and I am sure she would be very much
pleased.”
Mary was silent for a few minutes. She loved her teacher very much, and
thought it would be very pleasant to make her a present; but then the
remembrance of the poor old couple in the wretched shanty came strongly
to her mind, and she said, decidedly, “No, Isabel, I cannot do it. I
should be very glad to make Miss Spencer a present, and perhaps mother
will show me how to make a needle-book for her, but the poor people need
a coverlet more than she needs a work-box.”
“That is no rule, Mary. We cannot always give to those who need it the
most. All of the girls are going to call at Miss Spencer’s house on
Christmas morning, and each one will take her a little gift. If you will
only join with me, our present will be prettier and more valuable than
any other she will receive.”
“I do not care about that, Isabel. Miss Spencer will not value the gifts
for the sake of what they cost. She will be pleased to find that we
think of her and love her. But I am sure she would rather I would spend
my money in doing good. You know we both agreed to save a part for the
poor.”
“I know we did, but some other time will do as well as Christmas,”
replied Isabel. “If you will not help me to buy the work-box, I will buy
it myself, and not spend so much on my other presents. I saw a beauty
for three dollars, the other day, and I am determined to have one like
it.”
“Father says that we ought to try to do all the good we can upon
Christmas day,” answered Mary, gently. “You know it is the anniversary
of the day when the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world, that He might
do more good to men; and if we love to do as He teaches us, we shall be
willing to give up our own pleasure for the sake of helping others.”
Isabel felt that she was in the wrong, but she was not willing to
acknowledge it, and therefore replied rather crossly that Mary could do
as she pleased, but she had no idea of spending her money in Christmas
gifts for the poor.
The girls therefore said no more to each other upon the subject. They
were both very busy in their preparations for Christmas, however, and
long before the important day arrived everything was in readiness. The
work-box for her teacher had taken so large a portion of Isabel’s money,
that her gifts for her other friends were necessarily trifling, but she
did not regret this when she thought how pleased Miss Spencer would be
with so valuable a present, and how astonished her young companions
would appear at her generosity.
Mary had, with the advice of her mother, expended the part of her money
which she had set apart for the poor, so judiciously, that it went much
farther than she had anticipated. Some partly worn dresses served for
the outside of the coverlet, and with the money thus saved, many other
comfortable things were procured. The happy little girl danced for joy
when all was completed, and she thought how much good even her small
hands could do.
The day before Christmas arrived; and a merry group of girls had
assembled at an early hour in Miss Spencer’s pleasant school-room, to
talk over their plans for the holidays.
“And now, girls, let us arrange at what hour we will call on Miss
Spencer, to wish her a merry Christmas, and present our little gifts,”
exclaimed Caroline Elwyn, one of the oldest of the scholars. “I propose
that we should all meet at the great oak tree, at ten o’clock to-morrow
morning, and then we can go together. Only you must be sure to be
punctual, for the weather is rather too cold to make it very agreeable
to wait for each other.”
All of the girls readily agreed to this plan, and then followed an
animated discussion as to the beauty and value of their separate gifts.
One had prepared a work-bag, another a needle-book, a third had worked a
collar, a fourth a pin-cushion.
“And now, tell us what your present is to be, Isabel,” said Caroline
Elwyn. “You are so wonderfully silent about it, that we suspect it must
be something far surpassing our humble offerings. You shake your head.
Well, we will not urge you. Cannot you enlighten us, Mary?”
“I can only tell you what my own gift is to be,” was the smiling reply,
“I have made a pen-wiper to lie upon her desk.”
“We shall soon discover Isabel’s secret,” exclaimed another of the
girls. “Only a few hours, now, before the happy time will be here. I
wish it were night. Time passes so quickly when we are sleeping.”
The merry laugh which this remark occasioned had hardly subsided, when
their teacher entered the room. She greeted them with her usual
affectionate good morning, and pleasantly remarked that they must study
with unusual diligence that day, as the holidays were so near.
The girls cheerfully took their books, and, in spite of their joyful
anticipations for the coming weeks, their lessons were well learned and
recited.
Toward the close of the afternoon session, Miss Spencer requested them
to put away their books, as she had something to say to them before she
closed the school.
When everything was arranged in an orderly manner, she told them that it
had been her custom for several years to visit the poor families in the
neighborhood on Christmas day, and endeavor to do what she could for
their comfort. She said that she hoped that all of her scholars had
thought of the poor in preparing their Christmas gifts, and had
remembered that though it was very pleasant and proper to present tokens
of affection to their friends, yet it was better still to relieve those
who were in need.
Mary looked at her teacher while she was speaking, with such a bright,
animated expression, that Miss Spencer could not help remarking it, and
said, kindly,
“Have you thought of this in your preparations for Christmas, Mary?”
“I have tried to do what I could, ma’am,” was the modest reply.
“I had thought of proposing that some of my scholars should accompany me
in my visits to the poor to-morrow,” continued Miss Spencer. “There is
one old couple in particular whom I am very anxious to assist, as they
are exceedingly destitute. They live in that miserable shanty at the
foot of the hill. How many of you are willing to aid me in this good
work, provided your parents consent?”
Almost every hand was raised, and then each spoke in turn. One had saved
a dollar for the use of the poor, and would give any part of it which
her teacher thought best. Another had a half dollar, another a quarter,
and three pretty little girls said they each had a bright dime, which
mother had given them to spend for the poor. Mary had no money, but she
told of the warm coverlet and some comfortable flannels which she had
prepared for the very couple whom her teacher wished to assist.
“We shall make their home a happy one to-morrow,” said Miss Spencer. “I
have two dollars of my own to give them, and I have also prepared a
basket of food suitable for their Christmas dinner. But I think you have
not yet spoken, Isabel. Have you nothing to give? I believe you told me
that you had saved five dollars for Christmas gifts. A part of this
would be well disposed in relieving these poor sufferers.”
Isabel blushed deeply, as she said, in a low tone, that she had already
spent her money.
It was then arranged that the girls should meet at their teacher’s house
the next morning, bringing with them whatever their parents were willing
that they should bestow in charity. Miss Spencer did not know that they
had already agreed to meet there to present the gifts which they had
prepared for herself, and the girls were quite pleased to think how
surprised she would be when she discovered this little secret.
Among all the merry group which left the school-house, Isabel alone was
sad and uncomfortable.
“I do not know why I should feel so badly,” she said to herself. “I have
done nothing wrong. I have not been selfish, for I have spent every
penny of my money in preparing gifts for others.”
But Isabel had not yet learned to examine her motives strictly. She did
not reflect that the greater part of her money had been expended for
gifts which it would gratify her vanity and pride to present. The box
which she had purchased for her teacher was bought for the very purpose
of outshining her companions. She did not love Miss Spencer any better
than the other scholars, but she wished to make a display of generosity
and affection which would astonish them all.
Miss Spencer had frequently noticed this defect in Isabel’s character,
and when she found that none of the money which she had boasted of
having saved was reserved for charitable purposes, she felt grieved, and
calling Isabel to her as the other scholars left the room, she passed
her arm around her, and said, gently, “I am sorry that you cannot aid us
in our good work, Isabel.”
“I am sorry, too, Miss Spencer, but I have spent all my money in
preparing gifts for my friends.”
“We should never forget the poor, Isabel. Would not less valuable gifts
have expressed equal affection for those you love, and then there would
have been some remaining for those who need it more.”
Isabel made no reply, but she looked sad and mortified as she bade her
teacher good afternoon. And yet her pride was not subdued; for when Mary
kindly offered to share with her the articles which she had prepared for
the poor, she answered, haughtily, that she could easily have bought
these things if she had chosen to do so.
Christmas morning was bright and beautiful, and very mild for the
season. With happy hearts and faces the little girls met around the old
oak tree, and after telling each other of the pretty gifts they had
received, and displaying those which they had brought for their teacher,
they all proceeded to Miss Spencer’s house.
Now was the time for Isabel’s expected triumph. With glowing cheeks and
a self-satisfied air she presented her present; but the murmur of
admiration which she had anticipated was not heard.
Miss Spencer thanked her, and said it was a very pretty box; but she
seemed quite as well pleased with some of the most trifling articles
which were given her. She particularly commended the neatness and good
taste which Mary had shown in making the pen-wiper. Indeed, she seemed
more delighted with even the most simple gifts which the scholars had
made themselves, than with far more costly ones which had been purchased
for her.
As for the scholars, they were so much occupied with examining what they
had brought for the poor, that they could give but a passing glance of
admiration at the work-box.
As Isabel had nothing to give she did not wish to accompany the happy
party, and therefore returned immediately home. Her mother found her in
her own room weeping bitterly, and gently drew from her the cause of her
grief.
“This may be a useful lesson to you, dear Isabel,” she said. “It will
teach you that no real happiness is ever derived from a selfish act.
Your motive in presenting a more expensive gift to your teacher than the
rest of your companions were prepared to do, was selfish. You expected
to receive praise and admiration. In this you were disappointed, and
therefore you are unhappy. Another time I trust you will do better. In
expending your money for Christmas gifts, you will remember those who
need it most, and will gladly give, hoping for nothing again.”
Isabel still wept, but less violently than before, and when Mary entered
with a beaming countenance, and told her mother of the gratitude and joy
of the poor people whom they had visited, Isabel put her arm around her
neck and asked her forgiveness for her ill humor, and promised that when
another Christmas came, she too would remember _those who need it most_.