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About Butte Falls bulletin. (<1994 Dec.->) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2001)
Sta g few W s tew j . •» *5^ The N ew Leaves Adapted from Laura E. Richards Here is a great story for the New Year that will help children understand what “ turning over a new leaf m eans. Better to learn good habits in the hom e than out in the world, where turning the leaves m ay be m uch tougher. “ W ake up!” said a clear little voice. Tom m y woke, and sat up. At the foot of the bed stood a boy about his own age, all dressed in white, like fresh snow.. He had very bright eyes, and he looked straight at Tom m y. ‘W ho are you? ” asked Tom m y. “ I am the New Year! ” said the boy. “ This is m y day, and I have brought you your leaves. ” ‘W hat leaves? ” asked Tomm y. “ The new ones, to be sure!” said the New Year. “ I hear bad accounts of you from m y Daddy— “ W ho is your Daddy? ” asked Tom m y. “ The Old Year, of course!” said the boy. “ He said you asked too m any questions, and I see he was right. He says you are greedy, too, and that som etim es you pinch your little sister, and that one day you threw your reader into the fire. Now, all this m ust stop. ” “ Oh m ust it? ” said Tom m y. He felt frightened, and did not know just what to say. The boy nodded. “ If it does not stop," he said, “ you will grow worse and worse every year, till you grow up into a Horrid M an. Do ’ you want to be a horrid M an? ” “ N-no!” said Tom m y. dcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA “ Then you m ust stop being a horrid boy!” Said the New Year. “ Take your leaves!” And he held out a packet of what looked like notebook paper, all sparkling white, like his'own clothes. “ Turn over one of these every day, ” he said, “ and soon you will be a good boy instead of a horrid one.” Tom m y took the leaves of paper and looked at them . On each leaf a few words were written. On one it said, “ Help your m other and father! ” On another, “ Pick up your toys! ” On another, “ Stop tracking m ud across the floor! ” On another, “ BE nice to your little sister! ” And on still another, “ Don ’t fight Billy Jenkins! ” “ Oh! ” cried Tom m y. “ I have to fight Billy Jenkins! ” He said — " “ Good-by!” said the New Year. “ I shall com e again when I am old to see whether you have been a good boy or a horrid one. Rem em ber, “ Horrid boy m akes horrid m an. You alone can change the plan. ” He turned away and opened the window. A cold wind blew in and swept the leaves out of Tom m y ’s hand. “ Stop! Stop!” he cried. “ Tell m e — " But the New Year was gone, and Tom m y, staring after him , saw only his m other com ing into the room . “ Dear child!” she said. “ W hy, the wind is blowing everything about." "M y leaves! M y leaves!” cried Tom m y. Jum ping out of bed, he looked all over the room, but he could not find one. “ Never m ind," said Tom m y. “ I can turn them just the sam e, and I m ean to. I will not grow into a Horrid M an. ” Ane he didn ’t. (This story just goes to prove that we can change, if we want to- Cory) /fe w M ember A Y©B P@ HAVE fe©VERA^E Y®©B<£H THE ^©©1! YEAR? 8/0 1?AIP? Ufa W 0EW ANY HONEY TO IY ® Y teM TO O ERg. W 3 E 0 YOT A W YO»R [F a h e iy a ta O tew a w KI e a it h y K ta Y e a r s ©©HE ON EN ANP <® IX ©BY ©S» PAEW 0PE«A«,0.„ ©PEW PAY0 W EEK™ O ra l fe ® ’H K W e H e p a s ©a W E I® w w u HAVE A W » H 1 Y e a r 2©@ ®
