acrifice their children and themselves to these dumb idols; and he
told us of millions in other countries who are just as ignorant and
degraded, besides the multitudes in our own land who know nothing of
the Bible or the way of salvation. I knew all this before, to be sure,
for I have often heard it; but I never _felt_ it as I did last night;
and when the missionary called upon us children and told us that we
could do something to save these immortal souls, I felt, for the first
time in my life, that it was my duty, by denying myself some
gratifications and by trying to save money in other ways, to do all that
I could to send the word of God to those who are perishing. Girls,"
said she, with earnestness, "I could hardly sleep last night, for I was
all the time going over in my mind the different ways in which I might
earn or save something, and I thought if all our school were to feel as
I did, and join me in this, we might collect a great many dollars a
year."

Here some of the older girls began to whisper to each other that they
had no money to spare, and that their parents could not give them money
every day to send to the heathen.

"Now stop a little while, girls, if you please," said Alice, "till I
just tell you what I want to have done. In the first place, I think it
will be so pleasant to form a sewing Society, to meet on Saturday
afternoons, and make bags and needle-cases and collars and many other
things to sell; and I know my father will be delighted to have us put a
box, with these things, in his store. Then, while we sew, I propose that
one reads aloud from some interesting book or paper about missions and
benevolent societies, and thus we shall all become interested in the
intelligence, and be more willing to work and save to help the needy."
Alice then, with a great deal of tact, proposed the names of those who
should be President, Secretary, and Treasurer of their Society,
selecting the very ones who had been opposed to her plan. One large girl
was still dissatisfied, and declared she would not join them, till Alice
moved that she should be appointed reader. This delighted her very much,
as she read remarkably well; and now all were pleased, and Alice went on
with her plan.

"Now, about our laying up money, girls," said she. "I believe our
parents are none of them very rich, and yet we contrive to get a great
many pennies, in one way or another, to spend for our own gratification.
How many pennies do y