[Illustration:  Fig. 8 (The lower view shows the appearance of the drawing completed.)]

“Now, what has made the difference in these two men?  Their thoughts have made the difference.  The grouch has, for years, entertained grouchy thoughts.  The sunshiny man has cultivated the habit of seeing the bright side of things.  That’s all there is to it.

“How about you, boys?  And you, girls?  What kind of thoughts do you think?  I said, you remember, that if bad thoughts get into your head and heart, they stick there defiantly.  But, listen!  If you let good thoughts into your head and heart, they, too, will settle down and make their home with you and your happiness is assured.

“Don’t get into the habit of growling because the street car is two minutes late.  Thank your lucky stars that there is a street car to come at all!

“Learn to be happy.  A smiling face is welcome everywhere.  People scamper away from a scowling countenance, especially if the owner of it insists upon telling his woes and troubles.

“Remember that happiness depends not upon how many burdens we worry about, but upon how many blessings we are glad about—­it depends not upon what we have, but upon what we enjoy.  God says, ’Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts’—­that is, his unrighteous thoughts.  Why?  Because God knows that vulgar thoughts make vulgar men, and evil thoughts make evil men.  So boys, make a practice of chasing them out of your heads as you would drive a snake out of your bedroom.”

THE CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
    —­Christmas
    —­The Needy

It Is Well to Remember the Poor at Christmas, but it is Infinitely
Better to Be a True Friend Every Day.

THE LESSON—­That the true Christmas spirit is that which causes us to remember the needy always, whether their need be for the necessities of life or for the love of a real friend.

Too many of us are inclined to shower our gifts and our good wishes upon the needy at the glad Christmas season, and then neglect this great field of service throughout another twelve-month period.

The Talk.

“As we go out upon the street today everybody seems to be happy and full of laughter and good cheer.  People who usually pass us by without speaking at all or who merely nod without as much as a smile, act today as if they knew us very well; they smile real widely and say ‘Merry Christmas!’ just as heartily as they know how, and we respond to the greeting with a ‘Same to you!’ with an inner feeling of friendliness that somehow surprises us.  It is a time when nearly every heart is warmed, and we find our greatest joy in seeing how happy we can make other folks.  In every home where children are to be found—­and there the Christmas spirit is the merriest—­we see the stocking all hung in a row, and we are just as anxious to fill them as the owners are to have them filled. [Draw the three stockings, completing Fig. 9.]