The Nest in the Honeysuckles | Page 9

took a white bowl and sat down on the carpet by his mother with
the tiny ears in his apron. He worked away for some time, shelling first
one ear and then another, till every little kernel was in the bowl, and
nothing but cobs left. These he thought would help to build a
"log-house," so he put them in his play-box, with those he had
treasured before, and took his bowl to the kitchen.
Kate, the cook, was a coloured woman, and she loved children. When
he said to her, "Mother told me I might pop some corn," she cheerfully
placed the iron pan on the stove, and when it was hot enough, told him
he might put in the corn. Pretty soon it went Pop! pop! pop! till the pan
was filled with snow-white kernels. Eddie always wondered how they
could turn inside out and suddenly grow so large. He did not
understand that it was because of the expansion or swelling of the air
within the hard case, which then burst open to find more room.
[Illustration: Eddie popping corn.]

Eddie was very busy for some time in the kitchen attending to his corn.
When it was all done, he separated that which was popped from that
which was only parched, and put it in different dishes. He gave his dog
Philo some of the brown kernels, and he seemed to like them as well as
Eddie himself. Eddie enjoyed hearing him crack them with his sharp
teeth, and would stroke his great head, and say kindly, "Poor Philo! you
are a good Philo;" and the dog would wag his tail as much as to say,
"Dear Eddie! you are a good Eddie."
After giving Philo his share, and Kate hers, Eddie carried up a large
dishful to his mother and the children. He did not wish to eat it all
himself for he was a generous boy and always liked to have others
partake of his pleasures, whatever they might be. He reserved some of
the nicest of it in a tumbler, which he placed on his mother's work-table.
Mrs. Dudley took a little, saying to him,
"If you miss your corn, Eddie, you will know what has become of it."
He looked up from his play quite soberly, and said slowly, "Mother, if
you wish to eat more you may, but I am not going to."
"Why not, my child?"
"I am going to save it for father."
Mrs. Dudley was pleased to see Eddie willing to deny himself to give
to others, so she said to him, "That is right." When his father came
home from his business, Eddie placed the tumbler beside his plate on
the tea-table. After the blessing was asked, Mr. Dudley, looking at the
children, inquired, "Where did this come from?" "I popped it,"
answered Eddie. And his father thanked him with a kind and loving
smile.
Eddie was much happier than if he had eaten all the corn himself, for he
had made others happy by his generosity. "It is more blessed to give
than to receive," the Bible tells us; and Eddie had been learning this
truth in the great pleasure he felt in dividing his popped corn with
others. I hope you who read this story know how to sympathize with
him. If you do not, will you try the experiment, and see if you are not
far happier to share your corn, or your candy, or whatever else you may
have, with your brothers and sisters, and those around you, than you are
to devour it yourself? I have seen little chickens seize their favourite
morsel and run away and hide where they could eat it all alone; but I
should be sorry to think that any child would do so.

"WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER I SHOULD DO?"
"Which would you rather I should do?" asked Eddie of his mother, his
large blue eyes filling with tears.
"I should rather you would stay with me," was the answer.
"Then I will, mother!" and the tears remained where they were, and did
not chase each other down his plump cheeks. A trembling smile played
around his mouth; for he had conquered himself, and had readily
yielded to his mother's wishes. There had been a struggle, severe, but
short, in his mind, and when he said, "Then I will, mother," he meant
he could be happy to stay at home, and would not ask again for
permission to go with the other children. Mrs. Dudley could not resist
the impulse to clasp him to her heart, and tell him he was a good boy;
and this made him still happier. He saw he had pleased her, and her
approving smile was worth more to him than any enjoyment could be