In Story-Land Reading Day 18

LITTLE BLESSED-EYES. 61

Long before her child could talk the mother noticed how closely he observed everything about him , and how quickly he responded to the faintest smile upon her face . As he grew older it was a delight to take him out for a walk . He was constantly discovering some new beauty in the landscape . He saw the first red glow of the evening sunset . His eyes were the first to spy out the early spring flower , even before the snow was off the ground . In the late autumn when the wind was sharp and cold and the woods were bare , he was sure to bring home some red mountain berries , or some withered leaf into a corner of which a cunning little caterpillar had wrapped himself, sewing it over and over as one would sew a bag . Then he would tell gleefully how the frost had touched the ponds and changed them into smooth glass . Often on a cold winter morning he would waken his mother by clapping his hands with joy over the frost - pictures on the window pane . Sometimes in the evening twilight he would ask his mother if the stars were pinholes in the floor of heaven through which the glory shone . No stone nor cloud nor stream nor tree but gave him pleasure .

" Ah, " thought the mother , " this is the

fairy's birthday gift . She has made his eyes to see the beautiful everywhere ." " More than that , far more than that ! Kings and princes shall yet call him great ! " was whispered gently in her ear . The mother was amazed . Who could have heard her unuttered thoughts ? She looked up , but she only saw a robin hopping about in a branch of the tree overhead . Still she seemed to hear again the soft but distant singing of the words ,

" Love well , love well, love well , That the heart within may swell , Love well, love well , love well . "

66

Surely ," said she , half aloud , " who could help loving the child . He has indeed , blessed eyes . "

As the boy grew older he seemed somehow to know the people about him as nobody else knew them. He was always finding out the best that was in each of them . Somehow he had a way of helping all the other lads out of their difficulties . For instance , early one morning when he chanced to be passing the old basket maker's , he heard the shop boy speaking in loud , angry tones to the baskets , abusing them for being so contrary and illshaped . Blessed -Eyes paused , and looking

through the open door he saw the poor apprentice struggling to fit a round cover on to a square basket and a square cover on to a round basket .

" Let me help you , " said Blessed - Eyes cheerily, " I think you have made a mistake , that's all . This cover was intended for that basket , and that cover for this basket . " With these words he put the round cover on to the round basket , and the square cover on to the square basket , and each fitted snugly into its place .

" How clever you are , Blessed - Eyes " said the apprentice , " I have been working over these baskets for the last half hour . " Without more ado he put them upon his shoulder , and started on his errand , which was to deliver them to the gardener at the King's palace .

Years passed by , changing little BlessedEyes into a tall young man , and each succeeding year added to the wonderful power which his eyes possessed , of seeing the best that was in everything and everybody . He was the friend of rich and poor . All sought his companionship , for he was constantly pointing out to them so many beautiful things in the world about them which they would never have seen but for him . All loved him dearly , for he

was just as constantly finding the best that their inner world contained , and encouraging them to live according to their noblest ideals of how true men and women should live . So , you see, the fairy's Birthday Gift was indeed a great, and wonderful Gift .