Out in the garden Mary sat sewing a handkerchief, and there came a little insect running in such a hurry across the small stone table by her side. The 1 was not done, for Mary liked doing nothing best, and she thought it would be fun 2her thimble（顶针）over the little ant. Then Mary ran away, for her mother called her, and she 3 all about the ant under the thimble.

    There he was, running round and round and round the dark prison, with little horns on his head 4, little perfect legs bending as beautifully as those of a race-horse, and he was in quite as big a fright as if he were an elephant.

    Mary went to bed, and in the night the rain 5. The handkerchief was wet through as if somebody had been 6 very much, when she went out to fetch it as soon as the sun 7. She remembered who was under the thimble. But when she lifted up the thimble the little tiny thing lay stiff and 8.

    “Why did you do that, Mary?” said her father, who was close by, and who had guessed the truth. “See! He moves one of his legs. Run to the house and 9 a small taste of honey from the breakfast-table for the little thing you 10.”

    “I didn't mean to,” said Mary.

    She touched the honey in the spoon with a piece of leaf and 11 put a drop of it 12 the little ant. He put out a fairy 13 to lick up the sweet stuff. He grew well and stood up, trying to run.

    “He wants to run 14,” said father. “I know where he lives. In a little round world of ants, under the apple tree.”

    “And has he got a wife and children—a lot of little ants at home?”

    “The baby ants are little helpless things, and must be 15 by their big relations. There are father ants and mother ants, and lots of other ants who are 16 to the little ones. 17 knows his own children, but all the grown-up ones are kind to all the babies. This is a little nurse ant. See how he hurries off! His babies at home must have their faces washed.”

    While they were talking, the little ant was soon lost among the grass. In a little while back came the ant with a troop of friends.

    “He has been home and told them the good news about the 18,” said father. “Do you think that all children are as kind as that?”

    Mary said, “No, they're not. I don't run to call all the others when I find a good place for blackberries.” “Then,” said father, “don't be 19 to the ant, who is kinder than you, 20 he is only a little tiny thing.”

A welcome gift

    Dario and his mother loved their new apartment.  The living room was large enough for their piano. That night, the two of them 1 side by side at the piano. They played jazz music to celebrate their new home. The loud 2filled the room and made them feel very happy.

    The next morning, 3,their happiness disappeared. Someone had left a 4 under their door during the night. One of their neighbours had written to complain（抱怨）about the sound of the piano. Dario's mother asked the building superintendent（管理员）if he knew anything about it.But he said that they were all 5 people and he couldn't imagine any of them had done that. Later that morning,

    Dario suggested that they write a letter to their 6 and apologize for their playing.

    “Maybe we could go and 7 everyone in person," his mother said.

    “What if we invited them to come here for a 8 instead?" Dario asked.

    They both loved the 9.Over the next few days, they 10invitations and prepared desserts for their guests. They decorated the apartment with streamers(彩带) and party lights.

    Finally, the day of the party 11. Some guests brought presents. Others brought flowers. Some even brought desserts to 12.One woman, Mrs Gilbert, 13 Dario's mother with a book of piano music by Chopin. “I heard you playing the other night,”she said. “The sounds woke me out of bed.

    I 14 that you might play like this every night. So I wrote a short note.I hope you don't think I disliked the playing.” Dario's mother smiled at Mrs Gilbert.“I think maybe we15 you an apology," she said.“I didn't 16how late it was when we were playing. Maybe we should play some quieter music at night.” “You play, you play!" Mrs Gilbert said.“I like what you play! Just not so loud at night." She pointed to the book she had given them. “These songs are not such 17 music.”

    “These songs are beautiful music," Dario's mother said. “We will be18to play them in the evening.” “And we won't play so loud or late!”Dario said. He was already looking forward to 19 the new music. More than that, however, he was happy to see the big smile on his mother's face. It gave him a feeling of 20 and made him feel that they were home at last.

A Doll from Santa

    Alice's mother died when she was five years old. That year was 1925, and life was hard. Alice, who grew up to be my mother, told me that her family was too 1to even afford to give her a doll.

    One afternoon in December 1982, I was decorating the tree to prepare for the Christmas season. A young lady 2me with a sample of her handiwork: beautiful handmade 3. She was taking orders for Christmas. I decided to get one for my daughter, Katie, who was almost five years old. Then I had an idea. I asked the lady if she could make me a 4doll for my mother — one with gray hair and a pair of glasses: a grandmother doll.

    The doll maker felt that this idea was certainly 5and took it on as a creative challenge. So I placed my Christmas 6: two dolls, one blonde and one gray-haired for Christmas morning! Things really started to fall into place 7a friend had told me that his dad, who played Santa Claus in my area, would be willing to make a visit on Christmas morning to our home to 8my Katie her presents!

    Christmas Day arrived and at the planned time, 9did Santa Claus. Katie was delighted that Santa had come to see her at her 10house, the happiest I had ever seen her in her young life. My mother was enjoying watching her granddaughter's 11to the visit from this special guest. As Santa turned to leave, he looked once more into his bag and took out one more 12. As he asked who Alice was, my mother, surprised by her name being called, 13that she in fact was Alice. Santa handed her the gift, which was accompanied by a message card that read: For Alice,

    I was cleaning out my sleigh before my 14this year and came across this package that was supposed to be delivered on December 25, 1925. The present inside has 15, but I felt that you might 16wish to have it. Many apologies for the17of the gift.

    Love, Santa Claus

    My mother's reaction was one of the greatest deeply 18scenes I have ever witnessed. She couldn't speak but only gazed at the doll she had 19fifty-seven years as tears of joy running down her cheeks. That doll, given by “Santa”, made my mother the happiest “20” alive.

    Over the years, I never thought of my father as being very emotional（感性）. He never was, 1 not in front of me. My father never told me he loved me when I was a child，and I never held it against him. I think that all I really wanted was for my dad to be 2 of me.

    On November 9^th, 1990, I received 3 that my National Guard unit would be sent to the front. I went on to my father and gave him the news. I could feel he was 4 about me going. We never 5 it much more, and eight days later I was gone.

    A few days after Thanksgiving I was able to call my wife. She told me that my father said his usual Thanksgiving prayer（祷告）. But this time he 6 one last sentence. As he lowered his voice and a tear ran 7 his cheek, he said, “Dear Lord, please 8 over and guide my son, Rick, with your hand in his time of need as he 9 his country, and bring him to home 10.” At that point he burst into tears I had never seen my father cry, and when I heard this, I couldn't help but cry myself.

    Eight months later, when I returned home from 11, I ran over and hugged my wife and children in tears. When I came to my father, I gave him a huge hug. He whispered in my ear, “I'm very proud of you, Son, and I love you.” I looked that man, my dad, 12 in the eyes as I held his head between my hands and I said, I love you too, Dad,” and we hugged again. And then together, both of us cried.

    Ever since that day, my 13 with my father has never been the same. We have had many 14 conversations. I learned that he's always being proud of me, and he's not afraid to say “I love you” anymore. 15 am I. I'm just sorry it took 29 years and a war to find it out.

    A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales meeting in Chicago. They had1to their wives that they would be home on Friday evening. In their2to catch the plane home, one of these salesmen accidentally kicked over a table which held a display of apples.

    Apples flew everywhere. Without3or looking back they almost all managed to reach the plane in time.

    ALL BUT ONE! He 4, took a deep breath and felt sympathy for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He 5 his friends to go on without him, asking one of them to call his wife when they6and explained his taking a later flight. Then he7 to the place where the apples were all over the floor.

The girl was8blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in9and at the same time helplessly groping (摸索) for her spilled apples 10 the crowd walked past her ,no one stopping or11her trouble.

    The salesman knelt on the floor with her, 12up the apples, put them back on the table and helped 13her display. As he did this he 14that many of them had become bruised (碰伤的).So he set these 15 in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl ,"Here please take this $40 for the 16 we did." "Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears.

    He continued, "I hope we didn't17your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the confused blind girl called out to him "Mister..." He paused and 18to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

    He stopped and wondered. Then slowly he made his19to catch the later flight with that20 burning in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Earlier this year Rodney Smith Jr. made headlines when he drove eight hours from his home in Huntsville. Alabama, to cut the lawn for an elderly soldier in North Carolina who couldn't find anyone to help him with his yard work.

That wasn't the first time the twenty-nine-year-old Bermuda native had gained such attention. To do his good deeds, Rodney often finds leads for those in need through social media.

Back to one August afternoon in 2015, Rodney Smith Jr. was driving home. That's when Rodney saw an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn. He would take a couple of shaky steps, using the handle to stabilize himself, pause, then slowly push the mower again. Rodney decided to help. Mr. Brown thanked him greatly, and Rodney went home feeling satisfied.

Sitting at his computer to do his homework, Rodney couldn't get Mr. Brown out of his mind. There must be many Mr. Browns out there. He went online and posted that he would mow lawns for free for senior citizens. Messages flooded in.

One day a cancer-battling woman said she wasn't having a good day. Rodney decided to do more than mowing lawns. After he finished mowing, he knocked on her door. "You're going to win this fight, Madam", he said. Then he asked folks to pray for her on social media.

Word of Rodney's mission spread. A grandmother in Ohio said he'd encouraged her 12-year-old grandson to mow lawns. He got a letter from a seven-year-old boy in Kansas. "Mr. Rodney, I would like to be a part of your program, and I'll make you proud," he wrote.

That gave Rodney an idea. In 2017, he decided to establish a programme Raising Men Lawn Care Service to make a national movement for young people. The kids learn the joy of giving back.

Yard work seems like a small, simple thing, but taking care of the lawn means a lot to the people they do it for. "When we mow their yards for free, they can use the money for healthcare and food etc. It means more than you would think," Rodney said.