Sunday story hour

Foreword

“Between the dark and the daylight,

When the night is beginning to lower,

Comes a pause in the day’s occupations,

That is known as the Children’s Hour.” *

It is for this “hour,” on Sunday, when the children come with

“A sudden rush from the stairway,

A sudden raid from the hall,” *

to take the mother or father by storm that these stories are written.

There are some which tell of our heavenly Father’s care and protection and of the loving care of Jesus, others which teach lessons of obedience, helpfulness and kindness, and still others for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Many of them were written for the Beginner’s leaflets, issued by the Presbyterian Boards, and

* From “The Children’s Hour,” by Longfellow.

viii

FOREWORD are now published by the kind permission of the editors.

If the little children are helped to trust our heavenly Father more confidently, if as they hear of Jesus’ loving service they desire to be more kind and helpful to others, and if the pic¬ tures of life in other homes lead them to appre¬ ciate their own fathers and mothers more fully, my aim in writing these stories will be realised.

L. E. C.

CONTENTS f

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’S CARE

PAGE

I. The Little Boy Who Didn’t Want to

Go to Bed .17

II. Our Heavenly Father’s Care ... 21

III. Ruth’s Red Coat.25

IV. How Snow-White Cared for her Kittens 31

V. The Chickadees.34

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’S PROTECTION

VI. Teddy and His Kittens.39

VII. Max.42

VIII. The Dangerous Boat Ride .... 47

IX. The Story of Ishmael.51

X. Paul Protected in the Storm . . 55

XI. The Angel Helping Peter ... 59

THE LOVING CARE OF JESUS

XII. Jesus Helping a Father. 63

XIII. Jesus and a Blind Man.67

XIV. Jesus Healing a Sick Boy .... 71

XV. Jesus and the Children.75

IX

X

Contents

PRAYER

PAGE

XVI. Learning to Pray . 79

II Our Heavenly Father^ Care

rflHE little house stood on the edge of the wood. All the trees were bare except the evergreens. These still had their pretty green needles. Snow was on the needles. Snow cov¬ ered the brown leaves, which made a carpet un¬ der the trees. It was very cold. Mother was crying in the little house.

“0 mother, dear, don’t cry,” said Herbert.

‘‘Don’t cy,” said little sister.

Mother smiled at them through her tears. “I’ll try not to cry, my little ones,” she said. “But oh, I don’t know what we shall do! Fa¬ ther went to find work and he has not come back. He has been gone such a long time. I am afraid that something has happened to him. And we shall all be hungry soon. There is only half a loaf of bread left and a little cornmeal. ’ ’

“Mother, won’t God take care of us?” asked Herbert.

“Yes, dear, I am sure that he will,” said his mother, “and I’ll not cry any more. He is our heavenly Father and I know that he loves ns.

’Tis getting late, chickabiddies, and you must both go to bed.’ ’

The children ate some of the bread and then they knelt down to pray. “Heavenly Father, bless father, ’’ prayed Herbert, ‘ ‘ and bring him back to us. Don’t let mother cry. Take care of us, dear God, and give us something to eat. Amen . 9 9

“Bess favor,” lisped little May, “and take care May.”

“Jesus taught a prayer to the people who loved him,” said mother. “Would you like to learn some of it, Herbert?”

“Yes, mother,” said the little boy.

“ 4 Give us this day our daily bread,’ ” said his mother.

Slowly the little boy said the words. Then he sprang up and, throwing his arms about his mother’s neck, he kissed her. “Don’t you cry, mother dear,” he said. “I just know God will send us our bread.”

Soon the children were asleep and mother sat near them sewing. The wind rose. She went to the door and looked out. Snow was blown in gusts against the house. She went back to her work. The wind blew louder and louder. The icy snow was driven against the windows. “What a wild storm this is!” thought mother.

For a while she went on with her sewing. As it grew late she put away her work and

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’S CARE 23 was just going to bed when there came a knock on the door. Mother opened it and there stood father! He was all covered with snow and he looked tired and worn.

“Oh, I am glad to reach home,” he said.

“I am so glad and thankful to see you, dear,” said mother, as she kissed him. “How could you come through the forest in such a storm as this?”

“It was not snowing when I left the city,” he answered, “and I was eager to get home. I knew that you must be needing food by this time.”

“Oh, I am sure that God helped you to reach us,” said mother, “for our food is almost gone.”

“I looked and looked for work in the city,” said father, “and at last I found something to do. This morning I told the man for whom I work that I wanted to go home to my family, for I feared that they needed food, and he said that I might go.”

“Oh, I am glad that you came to us! But how could you find your way in this storm?”

“It was not snowing, as I told you,” said father, “when I started. But after I had walked some distance through the forest the snow began to fall. Then the wind rose, but I kept on. Several times I lost my way, but at last I saw the little light in the window. I thank God that I could reach you.”

24 >

“And I, too, thank him,” said mother, “for keeping yon safe and bringing yon hack to ns. ’’

The next morning when the children wak¬ ened they had snch a happy surprise! “I knew God would send some one to help us, father,” said Herbert, “but I didn’t know it would be you . 9 9

Father had brought both food and money. Mother cooked a nice breakfast and as they were eating it Herbert said, “Our heavenly Father did send you, didn’t he, father?”

6 ‘ Why do you think so, little son ? ’ ’ asked his father.

“We asked him to take care of us and give us ‘our daily bread,’ and then you came, so of course he sent you,” replied Herbert.

“Yes, my son,” said his father, “our heavenly Father did send me, I am sure, for he takes loving care of all of us.”

Ill buth’s bed coat

M OTHER sat sewing on Ruth’s pretty red coat. In and out went the needle, fasten¬ ing on the bright buttons. At last the coat was finished. “Put it on, dear, and we’ll see how it looks,” said mother.

“0 mother, how pretty it is!” said Ruth. “And it is so nice and warm. Thank you for making it for me.”

“You are welcome, dear, for what I did,” re¬ plied her mother, “but there are many others to thank.”

“Who are they, mother?”

“Who do you think worked hard to earn money to pay for the cloth?” asked mother. “Father,” answered Ruth.

“Yes, father earned the money and mother bought the cloth, cut out the coat and then sewed it. But where do you suppose the cloth came from?”

“From the store, mother.”

‘ 6 Yes, the clerk sold it to mother at the store. But who do you think made the cloth?”

“I don’t know, mother.’’

“The weaver wove it. And from what do you think he wove it!”

“From wool, mother, and the wool came from the sheep.”

“Yes, the farmer took the wool to the weaver. And who do you think gave the sheep its warm coat of wool, little girl?”

“Our heavenly Father, mother.”

“Just think how many there are to thank for your coat! The sheep, the farmer, the weaver, the storekeeper, father, mother and our dear heavenly Father. There are many others, too—the farmer’s helpers, the men on the train which carried the cloth to the city, the clerk in the store who sold it to mother, the delivery boy who brought it to the house, and others. Think how many people worked to give my little girl a coat!”

“0 mother, I’d like to thank them every one. ’ ’

“You did thank me, dear, and you can thank your father when he comes home. Then you can say ‘thank you’ to the boy who brings our bundles from the store, and the next time you go to shop with mother you can thank the clerk who waits on us. Then you can thank our heavenly Father right now. Would you like to say a ‘thank you’ prayer?”

Little Ruth closed her eyes and said: 4 ‘ Thank you, heavenly Father, for my warm cloak. I’m

RUTH’S RED COAT 27

glad you gave the wool to the sheep so I can have it. Amen.’ 9

That afternoon Ruth went to a party. She wore a white dress her mother had made for her, which was trimmed with some pretty flowers. Over this she wore her warm red coat. At the party she met her little friend Teddy.

“Come out in the hall, Ruth,” he said. “I have a secret to tell you.”

They found a seat by the window and there Teddy whispered his secret in Ruth’s ear.

“Father’s going to give me a pony, Ruth, and a pony cart,” he said, “and I’ll come and take you to ride. Won’t that be fine!”

“Oh, that’s the best secret I ever heard,” said Ruth. “Will you have the pony soon?”

“Yes, next week,” said Teddy.

When Ruth reached home her mother asked, “Did you have a nice time, dear?”

“Yes, mother,” the little girl answered. “We played games and had icecream and little cakes and lots of things. And, 0 mother, what do you think! Teddy is going to have a pony and he ’ll take me to ride. Won’t that be fun?”

“Yes, indeed,” said mother. “You will have good times with him.”

The next morning, as Ruth ate her breakfast, she asked, “Where does the bread come from, mother?”

“The wheat grew in the farmer’s field,” said her mother. “Our heavenly Father sent the rain to make the ground soft. Then the farmer planted the seed. What do you think helped the wheat to grow, dear?”

“The rain, mother.”

“And what else?”

“The sunshine.”

“Yes, and when the wheat had grown the farmer cut it down and took it to the mill and the miller made it into flour. Then the flour was taken to the store and there mother bought it. Then it was made into bread for your breakfast. You see many people worked to give my little girl bread, just as others worked to give her a nice warm coat. And our heav¬ enly Father, who gave the wool to the sheep, gave the sun and rain to help the wheat to grow. Can you think of anything else he gives you, Ruth?”

“The orange, mother, I’ve just had.”

“Yes, he makes all the fruit trees grow. What other kinds of fruit grow on trees, dear?”

“Apples and pears and grapes, mother.”

“Apples and pears grow on trees, but grapes grow on vines. Don’t you remember the pretty vines you saw at grandfather’s home a few weeks ago on which were purple grapes?”

“Oh, yes, mother, and grandfather let me pick some.”

“What does our heavenly Father give us to drink?” asked her mother.

“Water, mother.”

THE SECRET

RUTH’S RED COAT

“Where does the water come from, Ruth?”

“From the faucet, mother.”

“Would you like to hear a story of how the water goes into the faucet?”

“Oh, yes, mother.”

‘ ‘ Once there were some little drops of water up in a cloud. They were having the nicest kind of ride. But after a time the cloud went in front of the sun and suddenly out fell the rain¬ drops. They dropped down, down, down. At last they fell into a big lake, but they weren’t a bit hurt.

“ ‘Let’s see if we can help some one,’ said a raindrop.

‘ ‘ ‘ Oh, yes, that will be fun, ’ said the others.

“They joined hands and hurried along. At last they saw some pipes. ‘Let’s go through these pipes and see what we shall find,’ they said.

“After they had gone a long way they had to stop because they came to a faucet. But in a few moments they heard a little girl say, ‘0 mother, please give me a drink. I’m so thirsty.’

“ ‘Let us out,’ said the raindrops. ‘We’ll give her a drink.’

“Mother turned the faucet and out tumbled the raindrops, filling the glass which she held. Oh, how good the water tasted to thirsty Ruth!”

“Why, mother, was the story about me?”

“Yes, dear, the water drops come a long way to give you a drink. Who do you think tells the little drops when to fall?”

4 ‘Our heavenly Father. I just love him, for he gives me bread and oranges and water and —everything .’ 1

“Yes, dear, it is just as your verses say, ‘God is love,’ and ‘He careth for you.’ He gives you food and clothes, your home and friends. Would you like to learn a ‘thank you’ song, Ruth, to sing to our heavenly Father ?”

“Yes, mother.”

And she repeated after her mother this little song:

“Thank you, Father, from above,

For the friends and home I love,

For the world so bright and fair;

Thank you for your loving care.

“Thank you for the food I eat,

For the sunshine pure and sweet,

For the darkness and the light;

Thank you for the day and night.

“Thank you for the water, too,

Which comes down in rain and dew;

Thank you for the clothes I wear,

For my mother’s love and care.”*

* The first two verses are adapted from “A Thank You Song,” found in “Carols” (Leyda Publishing Com¬ pany), by kind permission of the author, Mrs. Howard M. Leyda, owner of the copyright. The last verse is by Laura Ella Cragin.

IV How Snow-white Cared For Her Kittens

P LEASE help me,” pleaded pussy, as she rubbed against mother.

“Why, Snow-white, do you want a nice soft bed ? 9 9 asked mother. “ I ’ll make one for you . 9 9

She spread a piece of blanket in a clothes basket and pussy jumped in and purred her thanks. She was such a pretty cat. Little Margaret had named her Snow-white because her soft fur was as white as snow. Margaret loved her very much and never teased her.

A few days after mother had fixed the nice bed for Snow-white, Margaret found four pure white kittens in the clothes basket. She was so happy that she danced about the room, call¬ ing, ‘ 4 Mother, mother, come and see what Snow-white has in the basket!”

Mother came quickly. “Oh, how cunning they are!” she said. “Well, Snow-white, I am sure that you are a happy little mother.”

She stroked the pussy’s soft fur. Then Mar¬ garet called to her three brothers. “Oh, boys, come and see what Snow-white has.”

The boys came running to the basket. ‘ ‘ Aren ’t they fine kittens ?’ ’ they said.

For a while the kittens stayed in their nice bed and made no trouble. But, as they grew bigger, they clambered over the sides of the clothes basket and were much in the way.

“Boys, you must make them a box,” said mother, “where they can stay.”

So the box was made, with a hole through which Snow-white and her kittens could go in and out, but not big enough to let in the big spotted coach dog that lived next door.

The days were getting warmer and mother knew that the kittens needed fresh air, so one night she set the box out in the summer kitchen. Snow-white went to her kittens and Margaret said good-night to her.

But the next morning the box was empty. There wasn’t a kitten to be found.

“0 mother, where can they be?” cried Mar¬ garet.

Just then Snow-white appeared and eagerly lapped the saucer of nice milk that Margaret gave her. “Where are your kittens, Snow-white?” asked the little girl.

But kitty paid no attention to her question. “I am sure that they are safe,” said mother, “or Snow-white would be crying.”

For two or three weeks little Margaret saw no kittens. But one day, as she was out in the woodshed, back of the summer kitchen, she

SNOW-WHITE AND HER KITTENS 33 heard a soft mew. She looked all about the shed. Not a kitten was to be seen. Again she heard the soft cry. At last, looking up, she saw a kitten’s face peering down at her from the loft.

“0 mother,” she cried, running into the house, “I’ve found the kittens!”

The ladder to the loft was so steep that Mar¬ garet was not allowed to climb it, hut one of the boys went up and brought down the kittens. Margaret was so glad to play with them again.

‘ ‘ Why did Snow-white take her kittens to the loft, mother?” she asked.

“I think she feared that the dog next door would get them, or that some harm would come to them in the summer kitchen,” replied her mother. “So she carried them, one by one, through the woodshed and up that steep ladder to the loft, where she thought they would be safe.

“You see, dear, Snow-white tries to take good care of her babies and protect them from all harm, just as mother cares for you. Who is it that teaches Snow-white to care for her kittens, dear?”

“Our heavenly Father,” said Margaret softly.

“Yes,” replied her mother, “he teaches all mothers how to care for their little ones.” *

The incidents of this story are founded upon fact.

V

THE CHICKADEES *

T HERE were once two little sisters named Emily and Gertrude, who lived in a small house in a country town. Near their home were beautiful woods in which the little girls always liked to play.

In the spring they found wild flowers there. First came the hepaticas, with their white blossoms tipped with purple and with their soft, furry leaves. Emily and Gertrude had to hunt for these little flowers, for they were almost hidden under the brown, leafy carpet of the forest.

Later came the violets, spring beauties, and other flowers. Squirrels ran up and down the trees, and birds sang in their branches. There was always much to see and hear in the woods. In summer the leaves of the trees made shady,

* This story was suggested by F. C. Woodward’s poem, “Chickadees,” from which quotations are made. The poem may be found in the “Boston Collection of Kin¬ dergarten Stories,” published by J. L. Hammett Com¬ pany. Used by permission of the publishers.

THE CHICKADEES cool places in which to play, on even the hottest days.

Towards the end of the summer most of the birds flew away and the little girls missed their sweet songs. As the autumn came the leaves put on their bright dresses of red and gold, and came dancing down from the trees. Now the forest was bare and brown, except where the fir trees kept their green needles.

For a time Emily and Gertrude felt rather sad, but one morning mother woke them and said, “Look out of the window, little girls.’’

They ran to the window and saw something white and fluffy coming down from the clouds. “0 mother, snow! snow!” they cried joyfully.

The snow didn’t last very long that first day, but soon it came again, and this time the ground was quite covered.

“What a nice, soft blanket the flowers have now, mother,” said Gertrude.

Mother sang a little song:

“Do you know why the snow

Is hurrying through the garden so?

Just to spread a nice soft bed For the sleepy flowers’ head;

To cuddle up the baby ferns,

And smooth the lily’s sheet,

And tuck a warm, white blanket down Around the roses’ feet.”*

* The “Youth’s Companion.” Used by permission.

“I am glad that the flowers have such a warm, white blanket,” said Emily. “Will you teach us that song, please, mother ?”

“Yes,” replied mother, “hurry and dress and I will do so. ’ ’

After breakfast the little girls went for a frolic in the snow. They threw snowballs at each other, coasted on their sleds and had a happy time. When they came into the house they had a party with their dolls.

As they were playing, a little bird on a tree near the window began singing, “Chick-a-dee-dee, chick-a-dee-dee. ’’

Emily stopped her playing and listened:

“ ‘0 sister, look out of

The window/ said she;

‘Here’s a dear little bird Singing chick-a-dee-dee.’ 99

“He must be very cold,” said Gertrude.

“Yes,” said Emily, “for he has no stock¬ ings or shoes, and he has to walk in the snow. But just hear how sweetly he is singing his chick-a-dee-dee. ’ ’

Just then mother came into the room and Emily said: “0 mother, here’s a dear little chickadee and I know he must be cold. Won’t you get him some stockings and shoes and a little dress and hat? I wish he’d come into the house and let us warm him.”

The bird had flown down to the window-sill

THE CHICKADEES to get some bread crumbs which the children had put out, and he heard what Emily said. “How funny I’d look in a dress and hat, and in stockings and shoes!” he thought, and he laughed as he sang his chick-a-dee-dee.

“I thank you,” he said to Emily, “for being so kind. But I don’t need any dress, or stock¬ ings and shoes.” Then he sang:

“ ‘I had rather remain

With my little legs free,

Then go hobbling along Singing chick-a-dee-dee. , ”

“Our heavenly Father has clothed me warmly, just as he has clothed you, so that I do not get cold.” Then he said:

“ ‘Good morning! Oh, who are So happy as wef And away he went

Singing his chick-a-dee-dee.”

Emily and Gertrude couldn’t understand all that the little bird said, but mother told them of the loving heavenly Father’s care of the birds.

“He sends the snow,” said mother, “to make a warm blanket for the sleeping flowers. He taught some of the birds to fly away to the South, where it is warm, and he gave the spar¬ rows, chickadees and other birds that stay in the North warm feathers, so that they do not get cold.

“The birds do not need stockings and shoes, dresses and hats, but you saw how glad the little chickadee was to eat the crumbs which you put out of the window. It is often hard for the birds to find food when the snow comes, so we can help our heavenly Father to feed them.”

“0 mother, we’ll put out some crumbs every single day,” said the little girls.

VI Teddy And His Kittens

O NCE there was a little boy named Teddy.

He was his mother’s only child, and some¬ times he was lonely and wished that he had a playfellow. His mother thought, “I must get Teddy a pet with which he can play.”

The next day the grocer’s boy asked to speak to her. “We have a cat and five kittens,” he said. “We are moving away from our house and we cannot take them. Would you like them?”

Teddy stood near and heard what the grocer’s boy said. “0 mother,” he cried, “mayn’t I have them? I should so like to have some kittens.”

“Well, you may bring them to us,” said mother to the grocer’s boy.

The next morning Teddy ran out to the gate right after breakfast and watched for the grocer’s boy. After a while he saw dust in the road and in a moment there was the cart and horse.

As the grocer’s boy drove up to the house he jumped down and lifted out a basket. In it 39 was such a pretty white cat and five cunning little kittens. There were three black kittens, a grey one, and a white one with a black streak on its face.

Teddy was so happy to have them. He took the kittens out of the basket and put them on the ground. Then he lifted two of the black kittens and the little white one into his lap. They were so tiny that they could hardly walk, but one of the little black kittens and the little grey one sprawled around on the ground.

Teddy held the little white kitten in his arms and the mother cat came up and licked one of the black kittens. She wanted to wash its face. She knew that Teddy loved her babies and she wasn’t afraid of him. Teddy stroked her soft fur. “Pm so glad to have you and your kit¬ tens,” he said.

Every day Teddy had merry plays with his pets. He named the mother cat Tabby. The black kittens he called Blackie, Topsy and Sambo. The grey kitten he named Puffy, and the white one, Fluffy.

The kittens sometimes ran up his back and sat on his shoulder. They liked to play with him. Teddy often held a string and drew it slowly across the floor, and the kittens scampered after it, trying to catch it.

Every morning Teddy fed Tabby, and after the kittens were bigger he fed them, too. What do you think that he gave them? A saucer of teddy's kittens

TEDDY AND HIS KITTENS milk. They liked to drink it just as you do. But they didn’t take it just the same way. Teddy liked to watch them lap it with their little red tongues.

The mother cat took good care of her little ones. She liked to have Teddy play with them because he was always loving and gentle.

One day when Tabby and her kittens were out in the yard a big, fierce looking dog passed by. ‘ ‘ Run, kittens, run!’ ’ said the mother cat.

Away scampered the kittens. But after poor little Fluffy ran the big dog. Before he could reach her the mother cat rushed at him. Though he was so much bigger than she, Tabby wasn’t afraid. She jumped at the dog and stuck her sharp claws into him until he howled with pain. He stopped chasing Fluffy and was glad to slink away.

After he had gone Fluffy ran back to her mother. I think that she tried to say 4 ‘thank you, ’ ’ in her soft, purring voice. Our heavenly Father gave Tabby her sharp claws, so that she could take care of her kittens and "keep them safe from danger.

VII Max*

T HERE were four children in the little white cottage that stood all alone in the valley. Bright flowers grew in the garden, and in the meadow beyond there were white daisies, yellow buttercups and pink clovers.

Other houses were far away, so the children had no playmates but one another. But they were very happy together and very helpful to busy mother, who had so much to do.

When father and mother first went to the valley to live they travelled in a great wagon. But when Maurice, the oldest child, was a baby a railway was started through the valley.

When the twins, Frances and Frederica, were old enough to run about, the first train went by. Oh, how the children watched it! They clapped their hands and danced up and down.

Father and mother came, too, to see the train pass through the valley. Every day the chil¬ dren watched the cars go by, and waved their

""Adapted from the story of “Max,” by Annie A. Preston.

MAX 43

hats and handkerchiefs to the trainmen and the passengers.

Sometimes the engineer or one of the passen¬ gers would throw something out to the children. Once it was an apple, another day some little cakes, another day some candy. How the chil¬ dren smiled and waved their hands!

At first their mother was afraid that they might go too near the track and be hurt, but after a time she had no fear. The whistle blew loudly before the train came in sight and the children were always careful to keep away from the track.

Black-haired Joseph, the baby, was now creeping about, and the children watched him closely to see that he did not go too near the train.

One day the freight train, which passed each noon, went more slowly than usual. Just as it came near the house the jolly brakeman swung off a big basket. It went rolling down the hill and out of it tumbled a fat, round, black and white Newfoundland puppy.

The children had never seen a dog before and they were so surprised. The engineer and brakeman laughed and waved to them until the train went out of sight around a curve.

The children named the puppy Max, and after that he was always with them when they watched the train. Sometimes they stuck his shaggy coat full of flowers so that he looked like a big bouquet. Sometimes be bad a pretty wreatb of flowers around bis neck.

At nigbt tbe father taught him tricks. Then, when be bad learned them, Max would stand on his bind legs, make a bow, roll over, turn somersaults or dance, as tbe train passed. The trainmen and tbe passengers would laugh at bis tricks.