HATTIE'S NEIGHBORS.
HATTIE listened very attentively when her father read at family worship, the parable of the good Samaritan.
And afterward she sat alone on the back doorstep, and wondered in her small seven-year-old head, if people fell among thieves nowadays, and whether the poor hurt man ever got well again. Mamma or grandma or sister Belle, would have explained the story, and talked it over with Hattie, if she had gone to them; but this little girl had a way of liking to think out some things for herself.
It was soon time for Hattie to go to school, and tying on her hat, taking her little satchel, and kissing mamma, off she skipped down the street to Miss Lester's kindergarten.
She had not gone very far before she saw Katy Terry, the washerwoman's little girl, sitting on the curb-stone, crying. "I don't think any thieves would come after her," said Hattie, "but she's crying, and nobody takes any notice of her." So Hattie went up, and asked Katy what was the matter.
"Oh, I had five cents," sobbed Katy, "and I've dropped three somewhere along here. I can't find them, and mother needs every cent, I know."
"I'll help look for them," said Hattie, just a little disappointed that Katy had not been beaten by somebody. So the two children poked in the gutter, and searched carefully around; and at last to their great delight found two cents of Katy's money. But the other cent was hopelessly out of sight.
"Kate," said Hattie slowly, "I've got one cent. Mamma gave it to me to buy a slate pencil, because Eddie broke mine. But I've got a piece of pencil, and you may have the cent."
"But your mother might not like it," said Katy.
"It's mine, she won’t care," said Hattie; so the cent changed owners, and thanking Hattie, Katy ran away home.
"The man in the story," said Hattie to herself, "gave the poor hurt man two pence; but Kate wasn't hurt, so I guess my one cent will do.''
At recess Janie White, the little lame scholar sat on the steps, and watched the others racing on the playground. Hattie looked toward her several times, and felt sorry for Janie; at last she went and sat on the steps too, and told Janie about the beautiful scrap-book Aunt Mary had made for Hattie and Eddie. And Janie grew very much interested, and thought she could make a scrapbook, too, as she had a great many pictures saved at home.
Just after school closed, as Hattie was reaching for her sacque and hat, Miss Lester called her.
"Hattie, can your bright eyes see this little splinter which has run into my finger, from the edge of my desk?
I am a little too near-sighted." Hattie took her teacher's slender white finger in her little fat ones, and with a needle soon took out the splinter.
"Now, Miss Lester," said Hattie gravely, “if I had some wine and oil, I'd put it on your finger. That's good for hurts, the Bible says so."
"And my little girl has remembered a Bible story, I see," said Miss Lester, smiling. "I don't think my finger needs anything. But you have been a neighborly little girl today. I saw you leave the others, and sit with poor little Janie."
"Was that being neighborly?" said Hattie, with brightening eyes. "I've been wishing I could find some hurt somebody to help, though Janie's lame to be sure, and Katy Terry needed a cent, so I gave her mine."
"Helping whoever needs your help that is being neighborly, Hattie.
And that is what Jesus told that parable for, and that is why it has come down to us."
"Mamma," said Hattie that evening, as she sat on a low stool beside her mother before going to bed, "do you know I had lots of neighbors today, even Miss Lester, because I helped her some! And I think its real nice to have neighbors, don't you?
Even if they aren't hurt like the man in the Bible was."
Mamma said it was very nice, and she hoped Hattie would keep trying to help her neighbors for Jesus' sake.
Lucy Randolph Fleming.