Eddie was much happier than if he had eaten all the corn himself, for he had made others happy by his generosity.  “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” the Bible tells us; and Eddie had been learning this truth in the great pleasure he felt in dividing his popped corn with others.  I hope you who read this story know how to sympathize with him.  If you do not, will you try the experiment, and see if you are not far happier to share your corn, or your candy, or whatever else you may have, with your brothers and sisters, and those around you, than you are to devour it yourself?  I have seen little chickens seize their favourite morsel and run away and hide where they could eat it all alone; but I should be sorry to think that any child would do so.

“Which would you rather I should do?”

“Which would you rather I should do?” asked Eddie of his mother, his large blue eyes filling with tears.

“I should rather you would stay with me,” was the answer.

“Then I will, mother!” and the tears remained where they were, and did not chase each other down his plump cheeks.  A trembling smile played around his mouth; for he had conquered himself, and had readily yielded to his mother’s wishes.  There had been a struggle, severe, but short, in his mind, and when he said, “Then I will, mother,” he meant he could be happy to stay at home, and would not ask again for permission to go with the other children.  Mrs. Dudley could not resist the impulse to clasp him to her heart, and tell him he was a good boy; and this made him still happier.  He saw he had pleased her, and her approving smile was worth more to him than any enjoyment could be without it.

Eddie, you know, is a little boy, five years old.  He has brothers and sisters older than himself, and they have fine sport in sliding and skating.  Their teacher takes them every day to enjoy it, and they come home in high spirits, swinging their skates by their sides, and talking loud and fast about it.

Eddie has watched them many days from the nursery window, and has longed to be with them; but his careful mother has feared he would get hurt among so many skaters, or perhaps be lost in one of those “air-holes” which are often found in the most solid ice; so when Eddie asked her if he might go to the river, she hesitated, for she did not like to deny him.  “Which would you rather I would do?” then inquired the dear boy; and when his mother told him, he did not tease her, but resumed his place at the window.

Mrs. Dudley resolved to go herself with her little son to the river, when the children went again.  She did not tell him so, however; but the next day, when the merry skaters were in the midst of their enjoyment, she put on her hood, and her warm blanket-shawl, and thick gloves, and calling Eddie to her, wrapped him in his wadded coat and woollen tippet, and placing on his head his “liberty-cap,”—­knit of red and black worsted, with a tassel dangling from the point—­and pulling it well down over his ears, and covering his fat hands with warm mittens, they started out on the white snow.  The snow was frozen sufficiently to bear them, and they had a pleasant walk above the hidden grass and stones.