By putting all banana skins and orange peelings and apple cores in a waste barrel never throwing them on the ground. Read: "Do All That You Can." Margaret E. Sangster, Little Knights and Ladies. Harper and Brothers. THE FIRST THANKSGIVING MARY MOSKIMMON When the Pilgrims came to this land nearly three hundred years ago, they found, in their chosen home, no one but Indians. The first year the Pilgrims' crops failed, and with nothing in their storehouses, they would have starved, if the Indians had not given them corn. When the snow and ice of that bitter winter were gone, the Indians showed them how to plant corn, so as to get a big harvest, and taught them how to catch great nets full of little fishes called alewives, in the streams. The Indians put one or two of these fishes in each hole where they planted three or four kernels of corn. The sandy soil was made rich and fertile, so that the corn could grow large and strong. When harvest time came, the Pilgrims had a fine crop. They could make enough hasty pudding, brown bread, and johnny-cake to last till the next harvest. Then they invited the Indians who had helped them so much to come to their first Thanksgiving feast. The Indians were delighted to come; they brought with them deer and fat, wild turkeys to add to the feast. They were greatly pleased with all the good things which they had to eat and they emptied one big platterful after another, saying, "Ugh! ugh! ugh!" because it tasted so good to the red men of the forest. DECEMBER: GRATITUDE For the Teacher: THE CELESTIAL SURGEON 1 ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON If I have faltered more or less Suggestions for morning talks For every gift or kindness we receive, we ought to show kindness in return by look and word and deed. This is gratitude. Giving presents in return for presents is only one way of showing that we are grateful. The very best ways are by good behavior, being busy at our work, and helping every one whom we have a chance to help. Every kindness shown to you ought to be met with a kind and prompt "Thank you.' Every second grade child is big enough to write "I thank you," in return for a kindness from some one at a distance. No child is deserving of the presents given him until he has in some way or other shown his gratitude. 1 Abridged from Poems, by R. L. Stevenson. Charles Scribner's Sons. Do you remember to say, "I thank you," to the teacher who has tried so hard to make your lesson plain to you? Do you know that if you are truly grateful to your mother and your teacher you will not only say, "Thank you," but you will try in every way to please them? There is hardly a day that we do not receive some kindness or favor that deserves "I thank you" from us. How many such kindnesses can you think of that you have received to-day? Read: "The Queen Bee," Grimm, in German Household Tales. R.L.S. No. 108. Houghton Mifflin Co. "Christmas Tree," Mary A. McHugh, in Thro' the Year, Book 1. Silver, Burdett & Co. THE KING'S WHITE ELEPHANT1 ELLEN C. BABBITT Once upon a time a number of carpenters lived on a river bank near a large forest. Every day the carpenters went in boats to the forest to cut down the trees and make them into lumber. One day while they were at work an Elephant came limping on three feet to them. He held up one foot and the carpenters saw that it was swollen and sore. Then the Elephant lay down and the men saw that there was a great splinter in the sore foot. They pulled it out and washed the foot carefully so that in a short time it would be well again. Thankful for the cure, the Elephant thought: "These carpenters have done so much for me, I must be useful to them." So after that the Elephant used to pull up trees for the 1 From Jataka Tales. Century Company. carpenters. Sometimes when the trees were chopped down he would roll the logs down into the river. Other times he brought their tools for them. And the carpenters used to feed him well, morning, noon, and night. Now this Elephant had a son who was white all over a beautiful, strong, young one. Said the Elephant to himself, "I will take my son to the place in the forest where I go to work each day, so that he may learn to help the carpenters, for I am no longer young and strong." So the old Elephant told his son how the carpenters had taken good care of him when he was badly hurt, and took him to them. The white Elephant did as his father told him to do and helped the carpenters and they fed him well. When the work was done at night the young Elephant went to play in the river. The carpenters' children played with him in the water and on the bank. He liked to pick them up with his trunk and set them on the high branches of the trees and then let them climb down on his back. One day the king came down the river and saw this beautiful white Elephant working for the carpenters. The king at once wanted the Elephant for his own and paid the carpenters a great price for him. Then with a last look at his playmates, the children, the beautiful white Elephant went on with the king. The king was proud of his new Elephant and took the best care of him as long as he lived. PICCOLA 1 CELIA THAXTER Poor, sweet Piccola! Did you hear 1 From Poems and Stories for Children. Houghton Mifflin Co. "T is seldom Fortune such favor grants As fell this little maid of France. "T was Christmas-time, and her parents poor No gifts for Piccola! Sad were they But Piccola never doubted at all And full of faith, when at last she woke, In rushed Piccola sweet, half wild: "See what the good saint brought!" she cried, Now such a story who ever heard? A sparrow, that in at the window flew, "How good poor Piccola must have been!" While the starving sparrow she fed and warmed, And danced with rapture, she was so charmed. |