rd
progress they were making in knowledge and intelligence, in the
acquirement of homes and ability to care for themselves, all seemed
to appreciate as never before the importance of the work that is
being done in the South.

The distant whistle of the train surprised them all, and as they
crowded about the missionary to take her hand and bid her God speed
in her blessed work, one woman said: "I used to give pennies to the
work of the A. M. A., but they shall be dollars now."

MRS. A. W. C.

* * * * *

CHILDREN'S PAGE.

* * * * *

THE LITTLE BLACK GIRL'S SACRIFICE.

BY MRS. M. E. SANGSTER

Little Ida had been invited to attend a party made by white children
at the school house. To her mother's mind the question of her going
turned on her having a scarlet sash to wear. By the kindness of a
child in the family where Ida and her mother, who figures in our
story as "Aunt Chloe," had their home, the want was finally met.

Now for the story of the scarlet sash, after it became Ida's
property. She wore it to the party, where she laughed and sang, and
played games, and looked like a poppy among the roses. She behaved
very politely, too, like a well-trained child whose mother had lived
in the "fust families."

After that, she wore it in church and to Sunday-school. It looped
itself beautifully over her best, brown striped dress, and gave her
the sense of being equal in appearance with the other children.

Miss Raymond, her teacher, told me that Ida really seemed to
understand the lesson better, and to take more interest in reciting
her golden text, after she came into possession of her precious sash.
It was so thick and soft and rich; it felt so nice to the little
black fingers, which every now and then stroked it lovingly. I am
sure the sash was a means of grace to Ida.

Children who have everything they want, who are clothed in purple and
fine linen every day, cannot imagine how much delight a poor child
sometimes takes in an innocent bit of finery.

Now, I want to tell you what became of the sash at last.

One day the superintendent at the Sunday-school asked the children to
come to order, because a lady was about to talk to them.

The lady was a missionary; her work had been somewhere a great way
off, among people who had hardly any money, and had a great deal of
trouble to get bread and meat. Their minister, the lady said, had to
live in