MYSIE'S TALENTS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 48, 28 November 1907, Page 37

MYSIE'S TALENTS

Mysie's round, moon-like face, usually lighted by a smile, was very serious as she came home from school. Her father saw that something was wrong, and he asked what the trouble was. 1 I'm afraid I have no talent— not even one,' said Mysie. ' The lesson was the parable of the talents. rf Sister told us talents were gifts from God to be used in His service. Coming home, Susie 'Keep- -said hers was music, and Laura Bemer said hers was drawing. I guess brother Edward's is -speakin' pieces.' ' Well, ' said father encouragingly, ' why do you thinki you have no talents ? ' v ' Because— because I'm not smart,' said poor Mysie, for the first time in. her young life putting the thoughts of a good many other people into words. ' Never irind,' said father. ' There are a great many kinds of gifts. It seems to me a' sweet temper is a gift. I know when I come home from the office tired after my day's work, your smile and pleasant welcome help me more than it would to have some one recite a thrilling bit of original poetry.' • Oh, father ! Does it really ? ' said" Mysie. And the contented looik "that seemed to belong 'to her round face came back with a little burst of sunshine. Mysie was not good at memorizing poetry. Four short lines or long ones* seemed the measure of her ability in this way. But somehow she managed to remember what father had said. Since she could make him happy, she would make others happy, too. Working in this line, Mysie found much to do at home. Every day it was -possible to relieve mother of some care. When grandma forgot where she had put her spectacles, Mysie had a way of knowing where they would most likely, tie found. Did her sister "E'leaoioß • want a letter ■ carried to the post-office, Mysie was always ready to go. And when' her brother Edward placed his pet rabbits in her charge he was • sure they would be cared for. ' Mysie ha/d no idea how many nice things were said about her in the family circle behind her back ; but the pleasant things that were said to her face assured her that her talent was not being hidden away in a napkin. 1 I guess my talent is growing,' was the happy thought that often came to her when she was sure she had pleased somebody or done a good turn for another. ' Perhaps,' she would reason— for she had read the parable in the Testament so often that she knew it almost by heart—.' i| I keep cm God najay give me otJher talents.'.^ And she was right about this. Very soon people who had thought her hopelessly stupid and dull began to notice what they called a ' wakening up ' in Mysie. » There was 1 no doubt atolaut her mind growing stron-v f ger. Listening to what older people talked about, and

remembering who was in need of a cheering word or a helping hand, seemed somehow to help her to learn her geography and history lessons. Sonretimes the kind of help to which Mysie found herself called was the writing of letters for people who could not write. This helped her language, and took the ''dryness.' all out of the grammar lesson; for Mysie wanted to express properly the thoughts of those she served. And, counting up the day's sales for old Mrs. Betz, who kept the cake shop, and whose son had lejft the business to go away as a soldier, put a new interest in Mysie's arithmetic. »»«„, In the course of a few years Susie Keep becaire a clever musician, and Laura Bemer was sent away to an art school. As to Mysie, nobody seems to remember that once she was spoken of as '_ not very .bright,' for, of all the girls in. the neighborhood, she is the best loved.