Pearl and Periwinkle | Page 6

few minutes later, the minister, followed by his son, was about
to enter the room he stopped, and, grasping his son's arm warningly,
they both, unperceived, watched the two children.
Left to their own resources the children had not remained inactive.
Their curious eyes taking in all the strange surroundings, they saw
many things that interested them. One of the pictures on the east wall
particularly impressed them. It portrayed the figure of a man, his face
lighted up with a wonderfully tender expression, while in his arms and
round about him were small children, alone or with their mothers. The
afternoon sun, shining through the open window, seemed to shed a
radiant halo over the whole group and to make the picture stand out in
bold relief. Standing before the picture in silent wonder, they had not

noticed the approach of the minister and his son. The minister quietly
withdrew, and when the children turned as if by common impulse, they
saw only a young man whose ingratiating smile at once opened a way
to their hearts.
Their previous experience in coming in contact with people enabled
them to become acquainted with the minister's son and to feel
themselves the very best of friends in less time than it ordinarily takes
children to overcome their natural timidity in the presence of strangers.
Nor was it any wonder that a close friendship was formed so quickly,
for Joseph Smith was that type of grown up boy whom all children feel
instinctively to be their friend.
After the first greetings and establishment of this friendship, Pearl
turned with childlike determination to the matter uppermost in her
curious mind.
"What is the name of that picture?" she asked, pointing at the one
which had attracted their attention.
"That is 'Christ Blessing the Children,'" replied Joe, and then he
hesitated. His father had asked him to help the children with their
arithmetic; he had not specified that he turn missionary as well as
teacher. Work of that kind was not exactly in his line. Like so many
lads of his age he seldom spoke on religious topics, although his faith
was a vital factor in his life. But catching sight of the enraptured face of
little Pearl, he felt certain facts flashing through his mind, something
about Christ's love for little ones and that we should not offend one of
them.
So he bravely began to tell the sweet story, though somewhat rapidly
and not any too clearly.
"Jesus Christ, the only Son of God whom God loved very much, lived
on earth and walked with His disciples. His disciples were the men who
followed Him and heard His teachings and tried to be like Him by
doing good and helping others. The mothers who lived where Jesus was
preaching heard of His kindness. They had heard also how He healed

some of their sick friends. So they brought their children to Him so that
He might bless them. Now when the disciples saw the women with the
little children they told them to go back to their homes. They said that
Christ was too busy to bother with children. But Jesus did not want
them to do this and he told his disciples, 'Suffer the little children to
come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of
God.' He loved little children and He also wanted them in His kingdom.
He then took them in His arms and blessed them, just as you see in this
picture."
A solemn stillness followed while the two turned again to view the
lovely painting. Finally Periwinkle broke the silence:
"He must have been very good to take such an interest in the little
children." Thereupon all thought of the arithmetic lesson vanished, and
Joe briefly told the whole beautiful story from the night of the angels'
song until Jesus Christ again returned to His throne in heaven.
When Joe had finished his recital, Periwinkle looked up with sparkling
eyes.
"Oh, how glad I am to know that! How I wish the Fat Woman could
have heard it! She'd been so interested. I think she always thought
herself better than the rest of the circus people."
A certain short prayer with somewhat similar meaning occurred to the
minister's son, but he only smiled at the pharisaical egotism of the Fat
Woman. After all she had trained the children morally, if not
religiously, and this made the teaching of Christian truths far less
difficult. Children reared in love are almost always ready to accept the
story of the Supreme Love.
"She never said anything about faith," continued Periwinkle in his
thoughtful way. "But she told us, 'Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you.' Maybe," he ventured with some hesitancy, "that