Dew Drops, Vol. 37, No. 16, April 19, 1914

    —Frederick Hall in "Little Folks."
Perhaps you think nobody can shock a cat. But just wait.

This particular Persian kitten was only six months old, and nearly as big as he could ever expect to be, and he was a beautiful creature to look at—all black except his white mittens, boots, nose and shirt-front, as a Persian cat ought to be; and he had a cunning tassel in each ear, and a great plumy tail like an ostrich feather, and big topaz-golden eyes.

Miss Mary's room and the next one opened into each other and were quite large, and both were covered with heavy rugs. Pussy's favorite game was to race back and forth from one end of the rugs to the other; sometimes he would poke his nose under the edge of a rug and wriggle in between the rug and the floor until he was simply a hump in the middle of it, like a dumpling. It was well Miss Mary always knew where he was, or he might have been stepped on some fine evening. But he was feeling altogether too lively for any such amusement as that, this cold night. It was one of those dry, cold, clear evenings when you feel like running races, or snowballing, and pussy was as full of life and go as even a cat could be. So he had a little Wild West Show all by himself, with the rugs for tanbark, and went so fast that he looked like a long black-and-white fur streak on the bright Persian rugs.

Now, if you walk and jump about on a heavy carpet for a few minutes, on a cool night, you may find that if you touch your fingers to anything iron you will get an electric spark. So when pussy had raced about for fifteen or twenty minutes on the rugs, he was, though he did not know it, one capering little battery of electricity.

Then he jumped up on the bed and began to race over the blankets. He was going so fast that he could not stop quite quick enough, and the bedstead was iron. He came up against the foot of it before he could stop, and though he did not touch it, he got an electric spark right on the end of his nose!

If you have ever had a little shock from an electric machine, and can imagine how it would have felt on the tip of your nose, you will have no doubt that pussy was shocked.

He backed off very slowly, considering. His topaz eyes got bigger and brighter, and his back higher and higher, and his tail plumier and plumier, every minute. His fur stood out in all directions, and he lifted his paws and set them down most carefully. He backed, and he backed, until he came up against the pillows, and then he turned around and realized that there was another iron thing behind him. Was that bewitched, too? At any rate, he would be cautious this time and see what happened. He sat and looked at it for some seconds. Then he reached out a paw very deliberately and daintily—and got another spark on the tip of that!

You see, he had come all the way across the woolen blankets, and made electricity at every step.

Then he gave it up. He hopped off the bed in a panic and fled down the stairs. He came up again after awhile, and curled up on his usual cushion to go to sleep, but he was a very much puzzled cat, and there is no doubt that pussy was shocked.

OUR LESSON.—For April 19

PREPARED BY MARGUERITE COOK

Title.—The Cost of Discipleship.—Luke 14:25-35.

Golden Text.—Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.—Matt. 16:25.

Golden Text for Beginners.—Be ye kind one to another.—Eph. 4:32.

Truth.—If we would belong to Jesus, we must deny ourselves.

1. Jesus spoke to a great crowd that followed him and told them that if they wanted to be his disciples they must love him better than all else in the world.

2. He said if they would be his disciples they must be willing to take up their cross and follow him.

3. He meant that they must be willing to do hard things for his sake.

4. He said if a man wanted to build a tower he would first see if he had money enough to build it all.

5. If the man began to build and could not finish it people would laugh at him.

6. Jesus wanted to teach them that they should be patient and finish whatever they began.

7. If we want to be friends of Jesus we must love him best of all and obey his words, no matter how hard we may find it to do so.

8. The love of Jesus in our heart helps us to be good and makes it easy for us to obey him and do hard things for his sake.

9. Salt is useful to keep food good and to make it taste pleasant to us.

10. If the salt loses its taste and strength it is useless and is thrown out.

11. So it is with our love for Jesus; if it is not strong and true it will be of no use to us or anyone else.

12. The true love of Jesus in our hearts grows stronger day by day and makes us useful and helpful to those around us.

QUESTIONS

What is the Golden Text?

What is the Truth?

1. What did Jesus tell the people they must do if they wanted to be his disciples?

2. If they would be his disciples what must they be willing to do?

3. What did he mean by this?

4. If a man wanted to build a tower what would he first do?

5. When would the people laugh?

6. What did Jesus want to teach them?

7. If we want to be friends of Jesus what must we do?

8. What does the love of Jesus in our hearts do?

9. Of what use is salt?

10. When is salt thrown out?

11. When is our love for Jesus of no use to us or anyone else?

12. What does the true love of Jesus in our hearts do?

LESSON HYMN

Tune.—"Jesus loves me, this I know," omitting chorus (E flat).

Jesus said, "Come, follow me,
And my true disciples be;
Give up all that leads astray,
Walk beside me day by day."

Title of Lesson for April 26

The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.—Luke 15:1-10.

Golden Text for April 26