Golden Moments Read online

they slowly passed down the dim alleys oftheir native town.

  It was a glorious day, such a blue sky, such a bright sun, so differentfrom winter in our dull, foggy England, that little Elfreda felt veryhappy as she looked out of the hotel window on such new and strangesights.

  "It seems like stories out of the Bible, mother," she cried, gazing atthe Eastern dresses, the queer-looking figures, the donkeys, and thecamels. For Elfreda and her mother had only lately come to Cairo for thewinter, for the mother's health, and everything was still wonderful toher.

  "Where shall we go to-day?" she added. "To the mosques, or through thebazaars, or out a long way into the country by the river? Quick, mother;let me call some donkey-boys, and let's be off."

  "There's that little tiny boy just ridden up, he who comes every morningwith the big one! I _must_ have his donkey again!"

  And Elfreda clapped her hands, and cried, "'Hamed!"

  There were fifty 'Hameds, donkey-boys (it is a very common name). Butthough several came up, they all knew that it was our friend who wascalled.

  "See," said little Hassan (he had jumped off Albert Victor and stoodbehind him), "there is the same 'zit'" (English lady) "clapping again,she who hired you yesterday and the day before; and with her the little'zit' with the long hair. Hurry, 'Hamed! I'm sure she means you!"

  Hassan was right. In a few minutes Elfreda was mounted on Albert Victor,and was patting his gray neck and long ears.

  "He's _such_ a nice donkey, mother; heaps nicer than the dull, tireddonkeys I ride when we go to the seaside! He's got some go about him!Why, he can canter almost as nicely as my pony at home, and 'Hamed hasto run to keep up with him! I should just like to take him back toEngland for a pet!"

  "I wonder what little Hassan would say," remarked her mother. "He wouldmiss his daily ride on Albert Victor, and I don't think he would be veryhappy in England in that costume. The village boys would jeer at him!"

  "Well, perhaps the pony _is_ the best to ride at home, and Albert Victorhere," considered Elfreda; "for certainly it _is_ very crowded and noisyfor any one not used to it," she added.

  For they were now in the native town, on their way to the shops, thereto bargain for Oriental curiosities. It was a ceaseless delight toElfreda. She bought slippers for her uncle, a fan for her little sisterat home, and queer pots to decorate the schoolroom. Elfreda would havelingered longer, but it was now time to return to lunch at the hotel.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

  THE ECHO BOY.

  A little girl once went home to her mother and said, "Mother, whilesister and I were out in the garden, there was some boy mocking us. Iwas calling out 'Ho!' and the boy said, 'Ho!' So I said to him, 'Who areyou?' and he answered, 'Who are you?' I said, 'Why don't you showyourself?' He said, 'Show yourself!' And I ran into the woods, but Icould not find him; and I came back and said, 'If you don't come out Iwill throw a stone at you!' And he said, 'I will throw a stone at you!'"

  So her mother said, "Ah! Nellie, if you had said, 'I love you,' he wouldhave said, 'I love you.' If you had said, 'Your voice is sweet,' hewould have said, 'Your voice is sweet.' Whatever you said to him, hewould have said back to you. When you grow and get to be a woman,whatever you say to others, they will, by and by, say back to you." Andher mother took her to that old text in the Scripture, "With whatmeasure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

  BE JUST BEFORE YOU ARE GENEROUS.

  "Come, Kathie! It is time to go home!"

  It was Mother who called: she had been sitting for the last hour underthe shade of the old pier, whilst little Kathie ran hither and thitheron the beach, sometimes paddling a little, sometimes building sandcastles.

  "Come, Kathie!" Mother called again; "it is late; come here and I willput on your shoes and socks."

  Still Kathie did not move, but sat staring at the sea, but with a lookin her eyes which told plainly enough that her thoughts were far away.She was as a rule a good, obedient child, but to-day she seemed almostas if she was afraid to come. Mother got up from her seat, and wenttowards the little one.

  "Did you not hear me, Kathie?" she began; then in an altered voice,"But, my child, where is your hat? Put it on at once, the sun is sohot."

  Kathie hung her head, then the tears gathered in her eyes, and at lastrolled quickly down her cheeks. "I haven't got a hat," she sobbed. "Igave it away. Are you vexed, Mother?"

  Mother was puzzled. She sat down by Kathie and took her on her lap."Don't cry," she said gently, "but tell me to whom you gave it."

  "It was to a poor woman," said Kathie; "she asked me for it for herlittle girl, and so I took it off and gave it to her, but afterwards--"

  "Afterwards you remembered that you should have asked Mother first,"said Mother gravely.

  "Yes," said Kathie. "But, Mother, the woman was poor; we ought to giveto the poor, ought we not?"

  "Yes, Kathie, but we must only give that which is our very own. Now, thehat was not yours to give away; I bought it for you, to shade you fromthe hot sun."

  "Oh, Mother!" interrupted Kathie, "then I can _never_ give to the poor,for little children have nothing of their own." Kathie's lip trembled,and she was very near crying at this thought.

  "I will tell you what is your own to give," said Mother consolingly,"that is your time. All children have a great deal of time to do as theylike in, and I can show you how you can use that time for the poor."

  "Oh, mother! how? I can't sew nearly well enough to make anything forthem."

  "No, I don't mean sewing. I will give you an old pillow-case, and youmust fill it with very little bits of torn, not cut, paper, and when itis full I will cover it for you with a case of pretty print, and then itwill make a soft pillow for old Mrs. Timms, or any one else you like togive it to. It will take both time and patience to tear the paper; andwhen it is finished it will be your own work, and you may give it away."

  "Yes, I see," said Kathie. "That will be my own work. I shall likethat."

  "As you grow older you will have money and other things which you cangive away, but even then you will find that your best gifts will bethose you have spent time and love over; those two things are thepossession of the poorest of us, and yet they are worth more than goldand silver. Now, Kathie, we must go and buy you a new hat, for youcannot walk home in this heat without one; and another time when yougive away anything you must remember to be just before you aregenerous."

  Kathie thought Mother very kind not to be vexed about the hat; butMother remembered what a little girl Kathie was, and she hardly expectedher to be able to refuse, when a bold, sturdy woman asked for the hatoff her head.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

  TRAVELLERS' TALES.

  They say there is a country where the snow never falls, And sliding is a game they never knew:They never saw a lakePaved with ice that wouldn't break. I would rather stay in England, wouldn't you?

  They say there is a country where the sun never sets. But goes on shining all night through.And you needn't go to bed,For there's always light oerhead. That's a country I should like, wouldn't you?

  They say there is a country where they all talk French. I can't imagine what they ever do!For who for all their chatter,Can understand such patter? I should answer "speak in English" wouldn't you?

  They say there is a country where the clergymen are black And the language sounds like "choke-a-cockatoo."And the niggers sit in rowsWith hardly any clothes I should like to go and look, wouldn't you?

  They say there is a country where the women cannot walk, And everything is made of bam-booAnd the people's eyes are wee,They live on rice and tea. I should like to go and see them, wouldn't you?

  They say there is a country where the elephants
are wild, And never even heard of our Zoo.And through the woods they roamLike gentlemen at home. I should like to go and peep, wouldn't you?

  F. W. HOME

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

  THE PRIZE OF HONOR.

  "I wonder if I could trust you children to go out alone this morning,"said Mrs. Ferrars. "I don't want to deprive nurse of her holiday, and Imust see Cousin