SUE'S CUP
OF COLD WATER.
"FIVE and five is ten, and ten is twenty, and three is twenty-three, and two is twenty-five! Three and two is five, and five is ten, and five is fifteen, and ten is twenty-five." There was no use. You could not make one more cent of it, no matter how you counted it, and Sue gave it up finally with a little sigh. "It's awful to be poor! If I was only rich like Lena Rivers, I would do lots of good," she said, as she put the money back into her purse.
Tomorrow was the Sabbath-school picnic that Sue had been looking forward to ever since the snow went off.
Was she not going to have a whole long holiday out of the hot, noisy mill, and going on the boat to the nice cool woods how she had looked forward to it! There was one draw- back, however, to Sue's happiness.
All the rest of the girls in her class were to have new pretty dresses, and she had nothing but her old white one that she had almost outgrown; and, besides, it was darned well, I do not dare to say how many times. The brightness all faded out of Sue's face when she thought of that, but then she could not have another possibly; and perhaps with fresh ribbons it would not look so very bad. So she had been saving up her pennies. Slow, tedious work it was, but at last there was a quarter, enough for two yards and a half. Tomorrow was the picnic, and tonight she was going down the street to buy the ribbons. She felt so happy that she almost ran on her way home from the mill, until she came to Mrs. Mellen's. Mrs. Mellen went out working by the day, anywhere she could get work.
And Jimmy, her little crippled boy, was sitting in the door, watching for her to come home. He had been very sick a long time, and was just getting about again. He looked so sad and pitiful that Sue stopped to speak with him,
"Isn't it nice out of doors, Jimmy?" she said.
"I guess it would be, if I could get out where there is green grass and trees; but it is so dusty here."
"I know it," replied Sue, looking up and down the narrow, dingy street.
"How I wish you could go to our picnic. We are going on the river and then to the grove. There'll be music, and good things to eat, and swings, and I don't know what else."
"I wish I could," said Jimmy, with a queer little quiver in his voice, and something like tears in his eyes only boys never cry, you know. But mother couldn't spare the money for my ticket, for I've cost a lot lately."
"Oh!" exclaimed Sue, with an odd little start. "I must be going. Good night." There were two things that popped into Sue's mind all at once. One was the verse that Miss Benton gave her only last Sabbath: "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily, I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" and added: "There's a chance for every one, isn't there, Sue? For the dear Saviour promises to reward even a cup of coldwater; and any one can give that much."
The second thought was of her treasured quarter at home the tickets were just a quarter! The conclusion she arrived at instantly was: Is not this an opportunity for me to give a cup of cold water to Jimmy Mellen? But then, there were the ribbons! What would become of them? She really did need them so badly. Oh dear, what should she do?
There was no more running. Instead, she walked very slowly; and once home she went directly to her room. To be sure, she knew exactlv how much she had, and yet perhaps there was a little more. But not a cent more could she make of it, and now the question was, What could she do? Go without her ribbons, and give Jimmy a day's pleasure? Or Oh dear, how could she give up the ribbons?
Seven, eight the clock struck.
And still Sue sat by the window, her treasure in hand, pondering. A bit of a song floated through her mind:
"I gave Myself for thee What hast thou given for me? "She sprang up quickly. "I won't be so awfully selfish. I will give this little bit," she cried aloud. And she went flying down stairs, out of the yard, toward Mrs. Mellen's. "O Jimmy," she cried, almost out of breath, you can go, after all. Here's a quarter for your ticket, and we'll have lots of fun!"
You should have seen Jimmy. He tried to say, "Thank you." But he could not--do his very best. And, boy as he was, he buried his face in the pillows, and sobbed as though his heart would break. "O Sue, I wanted to go so bad--you don't know."
As for Sue's ribbons well, perhaps you won't believe me, but she never thought of them all day long. They had such a pleasant time, you see, and everybody was so good to her and Jimmy.
"It isn't so much what folks have, after all, is it, mother," she said that night, "as the way they feel inside?
I was so glad I let Jimmy go, that I had every bit as good a time as Lena Rivers, I know, if my dress was old, and hers new."
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