[Illustration: What poor woman was commended by Christ as having been more generous than all the rich?] But the Christ-child bent above it, Took it in his gentle hand, Full of pity for the suffering He alone could understand. Whispered to it—O, so softly! Laid his lips upon its throat, And the song-life, swift returning, Sounded out in one glad note. [Illustration] Then away on wings unwearied, Joyously it sang and soared, And the little children, kneeling, Called the Christ-child “Master—Lord.” ------------------------------------ A RAINY DAY STORY. ------------------ THE water in the kettle decided to take a sail one day. What do you think was its boat? Why, the soft, balmy air. What kind of a dress do you think it wore? A beautiful white one made of vapor. Where do you suppose it sailed to? Away to Cloudland. It remained away several days. When it came back it had changed its dress, and then everybody said, “It is raining.” ------------------------------------ MISSIONARY SUNDAY. ------------------ “FORGOT my nickel,” mumbled the boy with the gold watch. “Spent all my money yesterday,” laughed the one with the spike-toed shoes. “Saving up to buy a ’bike,’” said the one with his hands in his pockets. [Illustration] The envelope passed around the class and came back with six cents. Everybody knew who put in that nickel and penny. It was the boy who earned sixty cents a week on a newspaper route. His trousers were too short for his fast-lengthening legs, and his carefully polished shoes showed a break here and there; but one-tenth of his earnings was given without fail into the Lord’s treasury. ------------------------------------ DOROTHY’S DREAM. ------------------ THIS is the queer little fairy dream That came to Dorothy Brown: “I was lost,” she said, “in the deep blue sea, A thousand fathoms down; There were branching corals and waving trees, And water-maids, good and fair, Who fed the fishes from pearly dishes, And gave to the least a share. There were schools of fishes, but never a book; There was sunlight without a sun; There were ways to roam, _but not any home_, And _mothers_—there were none!” ------------------------------------ SOME BIBLE DREAMS. ------------------