Page 54 - HSLChristmasAnthology

HSL Christmas Anthology Page 54
AND THE POOR CHILDREN. 31

ooy does what he can do best, and he likes
to do it. I like to weave baskets ; and that
boy there likes to cut images in wood ; and
that little girl knits famous caps. We choose*
some boy to carry these things to Hamburg
to sell ; and each of us likes to see how much
we can earn." " Who do you earn the money
for 1 " asked Heinrich : " is it for yourself? "
" Not for ourselves, but for each other," re
plied Hans : " but you see that is for our
selves. If we can buy trees and grafts for
our orchard, we all have more fruit ; if we
can buy bushes and seeds for our garden,
we all have more flowers; if we can add to
our library, we all have more pleasant books
to read. We all give a portion of what we
earn for our food and clothes, and a portion
to the poor ; and the remainder each gives
as he pleases. One gives his toward buying
some more books for the library ; another
toward maps for the scljool ; another to
ward building an arbour, or a lattice for
grapes ; another to buy prints for our pic
ture-room. We have bought two flutes and
a clarionet, and a bass viol ; and we hope
we shall be able to buy a piano, some time
or other. I put six cents a week into the
piano treasury. Oh, it is a great deal plea-
santer to work for a thing, than it is to have