EFFIE'S KITTEN.
‘T was a pretty kitten, a very pretty one—pure white, except one black spot on the end of its tail. It was a playful little thing, too, and Effie took it out every after-noon on the grass, where it could roll and play.
It was playing with a soft rubber ball one afternoon, and Effie was laughing heartily as it jumped first one way and then another, when she happened to look up, and saw something that stopped her suddenly. Leaning over the fence, watching the kitten, was a little girl not quite as large as she, but down her cheeks rolled great tears.
"Did you get hurt?" asked Effie.
The little girl looked frightened when she was spoken to, and did not answer. Effie then opened the gate, and asked her to come in. She did so, but said nothing till Effie picked up the kitten, and holding it up, said, "Feel how soft it is."
"Who gave it to you?" asked the little stranger.
"Mamma brought it from Uncle Jack's. Isn't it pretty? Have, you got one?"
"No."
“Wouldn't you like one?"
“Yea, Let me take it in my hawk."
Effie gave it to her, and watched her as she hugged it up and smoothed back its soft, glossy coat, and then she said, "Why don't you ask your mother to get you one? I expect she could."
"I haven't any mother, and I haven't any Uncle Jack, either."
Effie looked pityingly at her, and her own eyes filled as she said, "Perhaps your father might get
you one?"
"I haven't any father," said the child sadly.
"Haven't you anybody?" said Effie wonderingly.
"Nobody but Miss Foster."
"Mother," said Effie that night when she was talking about it, "it seemed to me as though I had everything and she had nothing, and I couldn't help asking her to take the kitten. She looked frightened at first, and did not seem to understand; but when she did, the sun came out all over her face, and she looked so happy. You don't mind, mother dear, do you? She was so sad and lonely.
I loved my kitten, but then I had so much else to love, and she hadn't anything. She was afraid Miss Foster would not like her to have it; so I told her she could bring it back, and I would take care of it for her, and she could come' and see it as often as she liked, and I'd never call it mine.
I took the ribbon off of my hair and put it around Kitty's neck, for she lost her other one, Mother,"
she added with tears in her eyes, "you don't mind my giving it away, do you?"
"No, little one," said her mother kindly. "God has put many lonely ones, like that little girl, on this earth of ours, and it should be our pleasure as well as our duty to do all we can to lighten their sadness and brighten their lives."
Morning Light