November 1943
415
The Thanksgiving Surprise By ALVERTA N. DUNDAS
B OR MORE than a, week Bob New ton had made plans to attend an October costume party to which all the girls and, boys oi his Sunday-school /class had been iq- vited. It would be such fun to dress : up—and besides, he had heard that cookies, pumpkin pie, and big red apples were to be the refreshments, and Bob did like to eat. But as the day of the party drew near, and as costumes were discussed among his friends, a cloud of doubt shadowed his mind. The morning of the great day ar rived. Bob hesitated in the kitchen where hisvmother was making a pud ding for lunch. "I guess I won’t go to the party,” he announced bluntly. “Not go to the party?” asked his mother calmly. “Why, what’s the mat ter?” “Well, I don’t have anything new to wear,” said Bob, “and it won’t be any fun if I don’t.” Then after a brief silence, he went on to explain that most of his friends had something special made for the occasion, and he felt that his cousin’s - clown suit was not1quite good enough. “But Bob,” said his mother, “your cousin wore his suit only once and that was four years ago. No one will know it is not new. I’ve been too busy to do any extra sewing. Besides it is not right to spend money fool ishly when there is so much need and suffering.” “ I don’t want to go to the party. My sore heel is bothering me,” sullen ly declared Bob. “Your heel!” exclaimed his mother. “I thought that blister was well two weeks ago.” “The first blister is well, but I think another is coming. Besides my stom ach doesn’t feel just right.” “Of course, if you aren’t feeling well,” replied his understanding moth er, “you’d better go upstairs to bed right now. I’ll be home all day so if you need me, you call. You won’t
have to get up until tomorrow morn ing in time for Sunday-school.” “Go to bed now!” exclaimed the surprised Bob. “Without a dish of that good pudding and a piece of nut cake? I’d rather go to the party in that old suit than go to bed. Dick Johnson said he was going to wear his grandmother’s long black dress and a paper hat and ride a broom-stick. I guess I cgn go with him.” “If you’re feeling better this after noon,” replied his mother, smiling, as Bob started up the stairs. Once in his own room, Bob’s party enthusiasm returned, for on the bed lay the pressed suit looking like new; beside it was a big yellow trick bag and nearby was an orange-colored, pointed-crowned' hat. S t r a n g e l y enough, he felt quite well by lunch time,, and was all ready for the party when Dick came to go with him. \ In high spirits they started off, both pretending to be r i d i n g the same broom-stick, but when he returned from the party, his mother knew some thing had happened. '■ “Tell me about your party, Bob. Did every one have a good time?” “We had a good time playing the games, and the eats were all right. It was the stories Mrs. Moore told us that made us feel all upset.” Bob sat down on the floor by his mother’s chair, and continued after a pause: “Mrs, Moore wants us to have a whole month of thanksgiving this No vember, instead of just one day. She said we should give something for others in need because we are thank ful for the blessings we have. You know how the Pilgrims were grateful for freedom to worship God as they pleased in the new country, and for the food that they had. “She described how poor little chil dren are starving in different parts of the world right now, and we should show a thankful spirit by working for money to give so that hungry people may have f o' o d,” continued the sobered Bob..
“Did she tell a Bible story?” Bob’s mother wanted to know. “Yes, she told about those ten lep ers that were healed and how un grateful nine of them were. But one returned to say ‘thank you’ to Jesus. She even told us how lepers of that day lived. They were beggars, and when they were near other people they had to call in a loud voice, ‘Un clean, unclean.’ At night they stayed out in the hills in caves or in the cemeteries. They Had a terrible time, for no one wanted them around.” Bob was very quiet for a long min, ute, then he added, “Boys and girls who are healthy s h o u l d be more thankful than t h o s e lepers.' Mrs. Moore said so, for they have good hands and feet and eyes and ears; they can go to church and to school. They can work and play and go to parties and be with their friends—and
Junior Kings Business By MARTHA S. HOOKER Member of Faculty. Bible Institute of Los Angeles
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