The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 22 April 1915, Page 61

The Family Circle

A-SEWING SONG. Oh, it’s thread and needle and thimble too. It’s wax and scissors and emery, too. Oh, wonderful, wonderful things I’ll do, With my thread and needle and thimble, too. I’ll make a bag for my own mamma; I’ll hem a ’kerchief for dear papa; And a doll I’ll dress for our little wee Bess. With a frock and mantle and petticoat, too. Oh, it’s cutting and basting and hemming, too. It’s stitching and felling and gathering, too. There’s really no end to the things I can do With my cutting and basting and gathering, too. And oh, what pleasure to sing and sew, And feel I am helping mamma, you know ; And still more pleasure, beyond all measure, When work is finished and off I go. WHAT COUNTED. ‘ What have you girls found in the paper that is so interesting asked Ethel Downing indifferently as she entered tffe room where half a dozen of the Academy girls had gathered for a fudge party. ‘lt must be something tremendously exciting, judging from the way you’re all huddled over one paper.’ 1 Interesting? Well, 1 guess so!’ This from Rita Turner, who emerged from the knot of girls on the davenport, holding aloft a copy of the Daily Record , the leading newspaper of the neighboring city. ‘ I’ll read it out loud, girls, and save the strain on your •eyes.’ Turning to Ethel she explained. ‘ We’ve just discovered that Doris Grey has won a ten-dollar prize for a letter describing her vacation experiences. The letter is published to-day, and that is what we were all trying to read.’ Standing in the middle of the room, Rita read the letter, a brightly written account of a camping trip that had been full of interesting and unusual experiences. ‘ I don’t wonder she got a prize,’ was the comment ■of one of the girls on the davenport. ‘ She makes it all seem so real that you almost imagine you’re there with her.’ ‘ Oh, I don’t know,’ came Ethel’s indifferent voice like a dash of cold water. ‘ I don’t see anything so very wonderful in it. Rita and I had just as interesting experiences last summer when we took that houseboat trip down the river. Either one of us could have written just as good a letter.’ ‘Well, perhaps we might,’ laughed Rita. ‘But we didn’t, and that is where Doris, with her ten-dollar prize, has the advantage over us.’ Several weeks later, when the trees of the campus were no longer gay in green and gold, but tossed their bare branches to the biting wind, in Rita’s room a little group of girls had gathered to talk over the accident that had disabled Martha Ann, the faithful laundress. ‘ It wouldn’t have mattered half so much if I had ' sprained my wrist,’ mourned Becky Adams, with a rueful glance toward the closet, where her daintiest white dress hung. ‘ What will poor Martha Ann do this winter without our work, and what will we do without Martha Ann?’ ‘ Hadn’t we better get up a little fund?’ suggested Rita. ‘ I’ll give two dollars. I’d like to give more, but my allowance is getting pretty low.’ The other girls generously pledged what they could spar© from allowances that were getting low as the end of the term approached. . ‘l’m not sure that I can spare even a dollar,’ Becky confessed in some confusion. ‘ But perhaps I can do something else. I’ll let you know to-morrow.’

The next afternoon Becky was able to report with shining eyes that she had found a temporary place for Martha Ann in the waiting-room of Dr. Easley, her - dentist. ‘ He has been talking about putting somebody in to look after the waiting-room,’ Becky explained, ‘ though he wasn’t really sure that it was necessary. Martha Ann can manage all right, even if her wrist is sprained, and I coaxed him to give her a trial. Even if he doesn’t keep her permanently, it will tide her over till her wrist is strong again.’ Good for you, Becky! That’s better than chipping in a dollar.’ Won’t Martha Ann be pleased!’ Becky flushed happily at the girls’ praise. When the little informal meeting broke up, Rita and Ethel, who were special chums, strolled off down the corridor together. Becky is quite set up over what she has done for Martha Ann, isn’t she?’ Ethel suggested. ‘ It’s noth-" ing so remarkable, though. I’m pretty sure that I could have got Martha Ann a place of some sort in the Gift Store. You know Mr. Janes, the head of it, is an old friend of my father’s.’ In spite of the weeks that had passed, Rita’s answer was very much the same that it had been the afternoon of the fudge party. ‘ But you didn’t do it, Ethel, and Becky did. And that is what will count with Martha Ann.’ THE PRINTER AGAIN. Here is a story that was heard during the interval at a promenade concert at Queen’s Hall by an American visitor to London: A concert agent had sent to the printer the programme for a big concert he was organising. At the last moment a very great personage died. The programme was already in type and the proofs passed, but as soon as the news reached him the agent decided that Chopin’s ‘ Funeral March ’ must be included as a sign of respect among the items performed by the orchestra. He telephoned to the printer to ask him to make the addition. ‘ I want you to add one more item,’ said the agent. ‘ Caff you manage it?’ The printer said he would try. ‘ What do you want to add?’ he said. ‘ Not much, I hope.’ " No, no, not much,’ said the agent. ‘ I only want you to put in at the beginning of the programme “Funeral March, by Chopin.” And he carefully spelled Chopin so that there should be no mistake. ‘ All right,’ replied the printer, ‘ I think we can just manage it.’ The agent heaved a sigh of relief, but when a copy of the programme was thrust into his hands on the night of the concert his hair stood on end. His message,it appeared, had got a bit addled over the telephone, and at the beginning of the programme the horrified agent discovered that the printer had made the concert open with—- ‘ A few remarks by Chopin ! : LIFE IN ALASKA. Deeds of heroism have been enacted in Alaska which history will never chronicle.- London Truth prints a story of one party of prospectors who owe their lives to a dog. Upon the desolate waste of that inhospitable glacier, the Valdes, which has proved a sepulchre to so many bright hopes and earnest aspirations, last ’winter a party of prospectors were camped. Day after day they had worked their way forward, death disputing every foot with them, until it was, decided that the main party should remain in camp and two of the number, accompanied only by a dog, should endeavor to find a trail which would lead away from the glacier. For days the two men wandered, until nature succumbed, and they lay down, weary and exhausted. Their faithful companion clung to them, and the warmth of his body was grateful as they crouched low with the bitter, ice-laden wind howling about them.

• Their scanty stock of provisions was well-nigh ex* hausted, when, one of them suggested sending the dog back to camp. ■ This was a forlorn hope, but their only one. Quickly writing a few words on a leaf torn from a book, they made it fast round the dog’s neck and encouraged him to start back on the trail. The sagacious animal did not appear to understand, but after repeated efforts they persuaded him to start, and he was soon swallowed up in the snow, the mist and the storm. Two days and nights passed, during which the men suffered untold agonies. On the evening of the third day, when all hope had gone and they were becoming resigned to their fate, out of the blinding and drifting snow bounded the faithful dog, and close behind him come ready hands to minister to their wants. A JOKE ON BISMARCK. The great Iron Chancellor of Germany, Prince Otto von Bismarck, who first welded the nation into an empire, was a most devoted and docile husband, and very docile to his wife’s advice. And her ready wit, although it saved him many a weary hour, once got him into a ludicrous position. Lord Russell, an English nobleman, was one day calling on the prince, when he remarked that Bismarck •was doubtless annoyed by countless visitors, who took up his time unnecessarily. * That is true,’ responded the Chancellor, with a laugh ‘ but my wife has a trick for getting rid of all bores in a graceful way. If she sees I have a visitor who is likely to prove dull, she comes in and makes some pretext for getting me away.’ Hardly had Bismarck ceased speaking when his wife bustled into the library. ‘ Otto,’ she said, in a commanding voice, ‘ you must go at once and take your medicine. You ought to have had it ten minutes ago.’ It is needless to say that, in spite of the hearty laugh that followed, the English visitor did not long delay his adieus. GOOD RULES FOR SCHOOLGIRLS. Scholarship without good breeding is but half an education. To be polite is to have a kind regard for the feelings and rights of others. Be as polite to your parents, brothers, sisters, and schoolmates as you are to strangers. Look people fairly in the eyes when you speak to them or when they speak to you. Do not bluntly contradict anyone. It is not discourteous to refuse to do wrong. Be doubly careful to avoid any rudeness to strangers, such as calling out to them, laughing or making rude remarks about them. Do not sta,re at visitors. In passing a pen, pencil, knife, or pointer, hand the blunt end toward the one who receives it. When you pass directly in front of anyone, or accidentally annoy her, say ‘ Excuse me,’ and never fail to say ‘ Thank you ’ for the smallest favor. AN ALL-ROUND HIT. A certain government officer was noted for being a hard taskmster to those who were under him, the servants in his own establishment being no exception. His valet was expected to be on duty 365 full days in the year. Being detailed to accompany a scientific expedition on an extended cruise, the officer unbent a little in communicating the news to his personal attendant. ‘Well, James,’ he said, ‘how would you like to go with me around the world V ' ‘Do we go from east to west, sir?' asked the valet. ‘ Yes.’ ‘ We lose a day in going that way, don’t we?’ * We do.’

* Well, sir, I’d like it first rate. It would give me one day off.’ His master was so pleased with the aptness of the retort that he gave him a week off to prepare for the trip. , GET ONE YOURSELF. During the Civil War there was an Irishman of the Thirty-sixth Indiana who, while on the skirmish line at Dallas, saw a good chance to capture a Confederate. He availed himself of the opportunity, captured his man, and was passing to the rear with his prisoner when one of his comrades called out to him ‘ Pat, let me have that man. I will take him over to General Gross, our brigade commander.’ ‘ Never mind, me boy,’ replied Pat. ‘ I left thousands back over the hill there. Go yourself and fetch one of the lads over and take him to General Gross.’ CAPABLE OF FILLING THE POSITION. Editor: ‘You wish a position as proof-reader?’ Applicant: ‘Yes, sir.’ 1 Do you understand the requirements of that responsible position V ‘ Perfectly, sir. Whenever you make any mistakes in the paper, just blame ’em on me, and I’ll never say a word.’ ACCOUNTING FOR THE COMPANY. The attention of the British sergeant to detail is illustrated by the explanation of a sergeant when his superior officer asked him why the attendance of his company at church parade was so small. ‘ Well, sir,’ said he, ‘ we’ve sixteen Catholics, twelve Wesleyans, six Primitive Methodists, two Jews, and four Peelin’ Potatoes!’ GOOD ENGLISH NOT REQUIRED. Judge Lindley, of the St. Louis Circuit Court, like many another good judge, is fond of ( a quiet joke. A raw German, who had been summoned for jury duty, desired to be relieved. ‘ Schudge,’ he said, ‘ I can nicht understand English goot.’ Looking over the crowded bar, his eye filled with humor, the judge replied; ‘Oh! You can serve! You won’t have to understand good English. You won’t hear any here.’ THE MAGIC WRITING. Take French chalk, or school crayons used for writing on the blackboard, and write your name, or anything else you choose to write, on a mirror, and then wipe it off lightly so that it will not show, you have everything ready for a very clever little trick. Have your friends look at the mirror, and see that nothing is there then tell them that by breathing on the mirror you can make magic writing appear. This will prove to be quite true, and will look very mysterious to those who do not understand just how it is done. There is enough chalk left on the mirror to make the writing very plain when the moisture of your breath settles on the smooth surface of the mirror. You must not make your writing gnread out over too much surface, as a part of it will dry out and disappear before you get over the whole surface. When the moisture dries up, you can breathe on the mirror again and again, and the writing will continue to appear and disappear.