she prized her gift more than all!

When the children saw how carefully she put the little bags of
sweetmeats in her pocket, instead of eating them as they did, they
laughed among themselves, and said something about her which was _so
cruel_ and so unjust, that I shall not even tell you what it was. They
did not know she was saving the candy to eat with Johnny. Then, when she
pondered over her little book, in admiration, and held it carefully in
her hands, as though she was fearful of stretching it, they said to
themselves, she must be very ignorant to care for such a thing. But
Susan only shrank off by herself, thankful to have her portion in these
things.

After this, came the time when they would bring their offerings for
those children who live in the far-off lands, where there is no
Christmas; and the children began to wonder if Susan had any money, and
to show each other what they had. Then their teacher drew her chair
among them, and began to tell them what it really was to wish that
others might enjoy what we did; what it was to help them to do so, and
be careful not to rob them of one smile.

"This money which you would send to those children, that they may be
happy as you are, if it does not tell them of your love, is useless to
them. And if, to obtain it, you have, in any way, denied yourself of one
little thing, be sure God will look very lovingly upon you; and those
children, when you meet them in heaven, will put their arms about you,
and tell you of their gratitude."

When the teacher said these last words, Susan's lip quivered, and her
eye sparkled, for they were words of meaning to her; but they did not
affect the other children, for they were words of no meaning to them.

But Susan saw those children in heaven, in her fancy, and Johnny was
there, no longer lame and sick; they ran and played over bright fields,
and no one laughed at them, or repulsed them, or wore brighter clothes
than they. They threw garlands of flowers to each other, and when they
laughed the tones of their voices were like music.

Then the teacher called Susan to her side, and Susan put in her hand the
two little pieces of silver; and the children, when they saw how
carefully they had been wrapped in the bit of paper, exchanged glances,
and they who had the most money in their pockets smiled scornfully, as
children can, upon one another. The teacher asks Susan how the little
money was got, and the child answers in a low tone: