The Strawberries And The Dying Child.


A LITTLE girl once had a bed of strawberries.

Very anxious was she that they should

ripen and be fit to eat. The time came,

“Now for a feast," said her brother to her

one morning, as he pulled some beautiful ones

for her to eat.

"I cannot eat these," said she, "for they

are the first ripe fruit."

"Well," said her brother, "all the more

reason for our making a feast, for they are the

greater treat."

"Yes; but they are the first ripe fruit."

"Well, what of that?"

"Dear father told us that he used to give

God the first out of all the money he made,

and that then he always felt happier in spending

the rest; and I wish to give God the first

of my strawberries too" Ah! But," said her 

brother, "how can you

give strawberries to God? And even if you

could, he would not care for them."

"Oh! I have found out a way," said she.

"Jesus said, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it

unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye

have done it unto me,' and I mean to go with

them to Mrs. Perkins' dying child, who never

sees a strawberry, they are so poor."

Away went the children to give them to

the dying child, and when they saw her put

out her thin arms and take the ripe, round

fruit in her little shriveled fingers, and when

they saw her eyes glisten, and her little faded

lips smile, they felt as if they had a far richer

treat than if they had kept the ripe fruit for

themselves; and something within them told

them that God had accepted their little offering.





 YI