before--for here was one who often goes hungry to bed, without any of the comforts of life, yet to make others happy gave literally "all she had." Truly were the blessed Lord here His words regarding the poor widow must have been repeated. I feel that the wood she brought is almost too sacred to be put to common use. I would that a piece of it were in every Christian home to teach the lesson of true sacrifice. On Christmas morning a dozen homes will be made happy by these humble gifts. One old lady in our visits we found so destitute that she had tasted nothing from Saturday night till Tuesday, when one of the girls of Gregory school took her in her breakfast. The old lady telling about it said she knew the Lord would not let her starve. The teachers have voluntarily taxed themselves ten cents a month, which provides for her food at least. I need not multiply these cases. Many sacrifices in kind, if not in degree, could be mentioned equal to that of little Mary, and many cases of need as extreme as that of "Aunt Maggie." The scanty purses of the A. M. A. teachers, many of whom, as in my own case, are obliged to economize in every way to keep our own families from actual want, are inadequate to meet the demand, and why should we multiply their cases on our minds when we are powerless to help? * * * * * CHILDREN'S CAUSES FOR THANKFULNESS. MISS LILLIAN L. GOAR, BLOWING ROCK, N. C. _Dear Friends_: I want to tell you of our Junior Thanksgiving service last Wednesday eve. The meeting was led by a Junior. After prayer by one of the members the leader asked of each one: "What have _you_ to be thankful for?" We had so many blessings given that a large blackboard was covered, with reports of the many "thankfulnesses." The following are a few of the many: "For Christ most of all," "the Holy Bible," "health," "warm sunshine," "blue sky," "I don't know of anything I'm _not_ thankful for," "for plenty of everything, bread and fruit and everything to eat," "for forgiveness," "Junior meetings," "to bring wood and water for our mothers and fathers." One of the several four-year-olds in school was thankful for a "stove, love (for) our brothers, to play, eatin' an' things to cook it in." And this same little boy, who comes from a home anything but attractive, had this sentence in his prayer, "thankful for home." Another dear Junior was thankful for good times and "for my little sister an' father an' mother." "The privilege to go to school" was another cause of thankfulness, while many times, both in prayer and speaking, was "the dear teacher" mentioned. The prayers were earnest, simple and sincere, and I felt much nearer heaven after the little ones had gone from their childish meeting. And I felt more than ever before the divine presence with us. The Juniors carry their Christian ideas into everything. In school one day I asked "What is the _heart_ for?" And a little girl (a Junior) replied quickly "To let _Jesus_ come in."