THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 170, 7 June 1940, Page 3

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Heiglio for Bonny Scotland. Wliaf ho, lads and lassies, and how dc you like Edinburgh. You remember the trip from Glasgow and the wonderful scenery through whicJ: we passed. Well, as all the old Scot; agree, there are few lands to bea{ Scotland for loveliness. Well, here we are in Edinburgh, the ancienl capital of the old Scoittish kingdom. All over the Avorlel you will hear Scotsmen and Scotswomen referring to Edinburgh as Auld Reekie. Funny name, isn't it but it received it in the very early when people approaching it saw the smoke from the hundreds of fires rising from the grey stone buildings, and so it came to be known fondly as the 'old smoke' or as the Scots call it 'Aukl Reekie.' No one who visits Edinburgh can afford tc miss going over the Castle of Holyrood which stands on the top oi the rock in the very centre of the town. I think Ave will visit it first of all. . I waait to show you the rooms where Mary Queen of Scots lived, dined and slept while sh? was a happy queen little dreaming >f the cruel fate that awaited her at the hands of her cousin Queen Elizabeth. Here we are at the great ?.ntrance hall. Now follow me and we will visit the council room, the huge dining hall and the tall timbered kitchen. The place is kept .is a museum now* and onlj r a few families of caretakers and custodians live here. Ah, now here is the very room in which the poor Italian favourite of Mary was killed by her husband,* the Earl of Bothwell. It is a dreary place, so let us get out in the air on the tall battlements. What a great view one can get of the countryside and the tall mountains in the distance. These art: the true Scottish highlands which vvc will visit next week. OtJR STORY THE RUDE GUESTS In an Eastern country long age lived a man who loveel giving parties. Splendid parties they were for he was rich anel gave his guest; the best jcf all that he had. Moreover,, he was. so kinel that no ont in his company ever felt shy 01 left out. Written invitations were not sent in the days of which Ave are speaking. The host sent his servants to invite people a few weeks ahead, and on the day itself he Avoulel often send them again lest anyon<? should have forgotten the time. After a while the gooel man's friends took his kindness for grantid, and were neither grateful nor oolite. He was always glad to see :hem, they said, anel they coulel go >r stay away, just as they likeel. Dften they would tell his servants hey were coining, and, when the lay arriveel senel no message to say hat they had changed their minds. One day the kind host inviteel his rienels to a supper party. He sent lis sen r ants to ask everyone AvelJ iheael of the day, but Avhen the ime came no one arrived. Everything was ready, nothing orgotten th-it coulel make the ;uests happy, and none of them vere there. Insteael of getting cross >r Avorrieel lest his lo\ T ely supper hould be spoilt, the gooel man hought that he was to.biame for he elelay. No doubt they are Avaitng to hear fiom me, he thought, jiel he sent his servants out to tell that supper Avas ready inel that they coulel come. The messengers arriveel at tin? louse of the first guest. They salel o the servant at the. eloor: "The east is ready, Ave have been sent o fetch your master." The servant called his master, t'ho came out looking important. Dear me," lie said, "it's unfortunte your supper is to-night; I can't lossibly come, I have bought a field nd I must go anel see -it. Pray lake my excuses to your master."' "lie messengers AA'ondered, as they rent on to the second guest, if the irst had eAcr meant to come to thr arty. They diel not haA r e to wait at the ext house, as the owner met them

(Aboard for the Goodwill Cruise

1 PETER THE WHALER WHALE ISLAND OGGSG&C£CXXttX<X3CCK^XXXXXX±

on the way. Hp looked tired, dirty., and rather cross. "Oh, that supper' said he, before the messengers could speak. "I can't come. I have bought five pairs of oxen and I must tr}' them, ask your master to excuse me." The messengers whispered to one another: "That man certainly does not want to come." They went on to the third guest's house. Here they had to wait some time. When the door was opened and they gave their message, the master did not trouble to come to them, but called from an inner room: "I have married a -wife niul 1 can't come!" lAt every house the messengers visited the same thing happened. Everyone had some excuse, and no one seemed to mind how bad or rude the excuse might lie. Tired and sad, the servants returned to the good man and told him whai had happened. He was hurt and angered by his friends' ingratitude, bnt, despite his distress, he still wanted to make somebody happy by his supper. He knew many blind, lame and poor people who had never been to a party. They should come to his. He sent his servants olf at once to fetch them. What fun that there were no surly excuses then! The people hurried as fast as their blind eyes and lame legs would let them. Shabby people, old people, little children who had never been to ai party before, all so happy to be invited. The kind host was ready for them all, but, when everyone was seated: there was still room for many more. "This will never do," said -the good man, "I will not have empty chairs at my supper. Go out into the roads, look under the hedges, and make everyone you find come in. I want my house quite full, nq space shall lie left for the friends whom I invited and who did nol care to come." No doubt they were very astonished strangers whom the servants brought in from the roads, particularly the beggars, who had thought of spending the night sleep ing in the open. But whoever they were, and however bewildered, they enjoyed that party for the good man's kindness, like a wide warm cloak, was wrapped round everyone. The Lord Jesus told the story to His friends to show them that, just as the good man wanted nothing but to make everyone happy, so Father God wants to make everyone happy always. Nothing can shut us out from His kindness and the feast 3f His good things but our own wickedness—like the people who missed the party through their own "ude excuses.

DID YOU KNOW? In Reserve The sycamore tree peels in summer and acquires its new bark ii? winter—the reverse of usual tree habits. ! m * at • Its First Visitor Lopez tie Cardenas was the first white man to view the grandeur of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. He discovered it in 1540. * w * * Amazing China A woman who had led a very secluded life suddenly inherited a lo! of money, and she decided to see the world. Eventually she wound up in China, where she was fascinated by the ancient Chinese method of transportation. She watched the coolies pulling the jinrikishas; it was the strangest sight she had ever seen. When she returned home she was in great demand by her neighbours They wanted to know all about her fascinating trip. "Tell me," asked a friend, "did you like China?" "It was marvellous," replied the traveller ecstatically. "China is the most marvellous place in the world On in}' word of honou", they have horses over there just like men."

LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION SIR WALTER RALEIGH Sixteen answers to last week's guess competition. Most Avcre right but several said that the picture was of Sir Francis Drake, while one little seaman, thought it was Julius Caesar. I have been carefully through the answers and have decided that the best were sent in by Engineer Don Howat, Midshipmaid Janctte McLeod, and Linen Stewardess Barbara Wallace. Congratulations, your free tickets await you at the BEACON. NEW MEMBER "Please will you enroll me £is rj new member," writes Patty Hancock of Mcrritt Street. Of course we will lass. Catch the quickest air liner and join us in the North of Scotland. Your certificate leaves to-day. Let me know if you receive it. You are now a gallery-band (Ist class). NEXT WEEKS COMPETITION GUESS WHO THIS IS?

JOKE CORNER "The baker isn't keeping any hotcross buns this year!" "Oh. dear! Why is that?" "He isn't keeping them, he's selling them!" m m m m "Now, Dicky, what is mustard?" "Stuff that makes your dinner hot without cooking it!" m m m m Messenger Boy (to newsboy)-: "Who's the swell you were just talking to, Jimmie?" Newsboy: "Aw, he and I have worked together for years. He is the editor of one of my papers.'* ■ m m a Little Quentin, aged six was being congratulated by his teacher. "I heard," said the teacher, "that you have a new baby brother.'* "Not onW one," returned little Quentin. "Two of them." "That's wonderful! You must bf very proud." "What's so wonderful about it? We didn't even make the newsreel" m m m a Husband: "How much did you pay for the eggs?" Wife: "1 had to pay two shilling? a dozen.'' Husband: '•Well, we can't afford to eat eggs when they's as high as that. Put 'em down in the cellar and keep 'em till eggs gets cheaper." A LETTER TO SANTA CLAUS' My brother wants a little bike, And I a. dolly sweet, My brother's bike must be good and strong, And my doll have curls no neat. And may we have some big balloons And some sweeties, too, We hope Ave are not greedy For you've other children; too. So goodbye dear old Santa;,Glaus. And a happy Christmas.;, too,. Yru bring us Chris'mas greetings. , So we send our love to you.