November, m3
EVERY BODY’S ER 1 END
9
Appreciation
The story is told of a tired, pale little wife
who was one day found in a furniture stoic*,
pleading with her husband, a big stalward man,
to buy her a rocking chair. The husband laugh-
ed carelessly and remarked that he had nothing
to spend on rocking chairs. The patient little
wife turned aside to hide the scalding tears
which fell over her thin cheeks. A. few weeks
later the dealer stepped to the phone in answer
to a call It was this same man talking, th
told the dealer of the death of his wife, and or-
dered him to send out the very best casket he
had in stock.
To this man, ten dollars was an immense sum
of money to pay for a chair in which the tiled
wife could rest comfortably, but one bundled
dollars seemed but a small amount a few weeks
later, for a casket for that careworn body. Did
her husband appreciate her? Yes, certainly.
Did she know it? No.
Doubtless there were many beautiful floral
offerings, and how those eyes that were then
glassy in death, would have beamed with joy,
could she have held a bouquet of such flowers
while yet able to appreciate them. But now
her eyes were closed to the great display, and
concourse of sorrowing friends, and hei eais
were deaf to the many kind words of apprecia-
tion of a noble life. She no longer needed the
sympathy and care she had so longed for, and
which the husband would now so gladly bestow.
The cares of life were over, but had these
friends shown their appreciation in life, as in
death, how happy she would have been.
Friends, do those loved ones whom God has
given you, know that you appreciate them?
Have you spoken a cheering word to that neigh-
bor who is almost ready to fall beneath his bur-
den? A sad, lone look in many a face cries out
for a word of encouragement, for kindness and
> appreciation. But ah! we go on as if our friends
would always be spared to us. We are continu-
ally letting opportunities go by, and yearning
souls go down into premature graves. When
we look around us and see conditions as they
are, we do not wonder that some soul was made
to cry out: “0 the strange unfathomable depth
of human ingratitude!”
Have you not, my friend, seen the time when
your own heart yearned for just one word of
encouragement, and you remember that one to
this day who spoke a kind word, gave you a
friendly hand-shake, or a smile of approval that
lifted out of the mire of despair.
We all know how a few cheering words will
transform a child’s tear stained lace into one
of smiles, but we often fail to realize that grown
folks are only children grown up. Even those
whom we look upon as strong and capable, and
those holding high positions in hie are only
human beings. Those who hold the most ie-
sponsible positions have the heaviest care, and
need to be held up by strong arms.
I have been wondering if the Manager of our
Child Saving Mission and his faithful compan-
ion know how much we appreciate them. Of
course we appreciate their devotion to the work,
and their untireing efforts in saving homeless
children, but do they know it?
Perhaps we have not thought of them needing
encouragement. We may not know of the dis-
couragements which they encountered du ring
the eleven years they have spent in this work.
Not many of us know of the many, many times
the treasury has been drained to meet other
bills, while they waited long fox; their own scant
allowance. We fail to think of the many sleep-
less nights spent by the family, because of suf-
fering, forsaken infants. We do not know of
the sharp criticisms that have been so patiently
borne. We scarcely realize how difficult it
would be to secure others who would manifest
as much interest, should they, for any reason
have to give up the work. We as brethren and
sisters do not, perhaps, appreciate as we should
their strong influence for the church, how they
move among many classes of people, intelligent-
ly and at ease, always neatly and plainly clad, as
becometh Christian people.
If our brother and sister could know that we
are holding them and their family and their work
up before God in earnest proyer; if they could
know that we sincerely appreciate their devo-
tion and interest in the noble work in which
they are engaged: if they could know of the
happiness that has been brought to homes by
placing in them innocent children; if they could