When the two were by themselves in the little half-circle where their class usually sat, Ida, with trembling hands, untied the beloved sash, and, laying it on her teacher's lap, said, "Please, Miss Raymond, this is the prettiest thing I've got, and I want to send it to the children who haven't any Bibles."
"But the sash will do them no good, Ida."
"The worf of it will," replied the child; "and it's worf free dollars, any way; mammy said so."
Ida stooped down and kissed it; it was not giving what cost her nothing to part with her treasured ribbon.
Mass Raymond took it with a tender look, rolled it up and carried it home.
One evening, in her parlor, she told its story to a party of young people, and then remarked: "The sash ought to bring more than three dollars, when that little black girl gave it up so cheerfully."
In a few moments there lay a little pile of silver and paper on the centre table, and Ida's sash had brought eight dollars for the good cause. Before the week was over it had gone from hand to hand, and the eight dollars became twenty without much difficulty.
Fanny said she thought we ought to send the sash back to Ida, or give her another one; but no, that would have taken the sweetness from her self-denial.
She came to school without her ribbon, having been scolded by Aunt Chloe, who could not understand her action, and thought it great folly; but all winter long there was a brave light in Ida's dark face, and a contented expression in her eyes. She had given the scarlet sash for Christ's sake, and he had blessed her deed, and owned her as one of his little ones. Happy Ida!
ABRIDGED FROM S. S. TIMES.