小小“新年”

One cold morning Maurice awoke from his dreams，sat up in bed and listened carefully. He heard a knock at his window， so he opened the window， and whispered: \"Who is there?\"

\"I am，\" replied a tinkling voice. \"I am the little 'New Year'， and I've promised to bring a blessing to everyone. But I am such a little fellow I need somebody to help me distribute them.Won't you please come out and help?\" \"Never mind the cold，\" urged the \"New Year\"，\"please help me！\"

So Maurice hurried into his clothes，and was soon out in the yard. There he found a rosy-cheeked boy a little smaller than himself， pulling a large cart which seemed to be loaded with good things. On one side of this cart was painted the word \"Love\"， and on the other \"Kindness\". As soon as the \"New Year\" saw Maurice he said， \"Now please take hold and help me pull.\" And down the driveway，up the hill they travelled until they came to an old shanty.

\"Here is where I make my first call，\" said the \"New Year\". Maurice looked wonderingly at him. \"Why， nobody lives here but an old man， and he hasn't any children!\" \"He needs my help，\" said the \"New Year\"; \"for grown people like to be thought of just as much as children do. You shovel out a path to his door， while I unload some of my blessings.\" and the little hands went busily at work， piling up warm clothing， wood， and a new year's dinner.

The \"New Year\" singing as he worked:\"Oh，I am the little 'New Year ' ; ho! ho! Here I come tripping it over the snow， shaking my bells with a merry din; So open your door and let me in.\"

Old Joe，hearing some noise outside， came to the door and when he saw all the nice gifts the tears ran down his cheeks for gladness; and as he carried them into the house，he whispered:\"The dear Lord has been here tonight.\"

\"Where are we going now?\" asked Maurice， as they ran down the hill. \"To take some flowers to a poor sick girl，\" answered the \"New Year\".

Soon they came to a small white house， where the \"New Year\" stopped. \"Why， Bessie lives here，\" said Maurice. \"I didn't know she was sick.\" \"See，\" said the \"New Year\"， \"this window is open a little; let us throw this bunch of pinks into the room. They will please her when she wakes， and will make her happy for several days.\"

Then they hurried to other places， leaving some blessing behind them.

\"What a wonderful cart you have，\" said Maurice; \"though you have taken so much out， it never seems to get empty.\" \"You are right， Maurice， there is never any end to love and kindness. As long as I find people to love and be kind to， my cart is full of blessings for them; and it will never grow empty until I can no longer find people to help. If you will go with me every day and help me scatter my blessings， you will see how happy you will be all the long year.\"

\"A happy New Year!\" called some one; and Maurice found himself in bed， and his sister standing in the doorway smiling at him. \"Have you had a pleasant dream， dear?\" she asked.

\"Why， where is the little 'New Year'?\" said Maurice; \"he was just here with me.\"

\"Come into Mamma's room and see what he has brought you，\" answered his sister. There in a snowy white cradle he found a tiny baby brother， the gift of the New Year. How happy Maurice was then! But he did not forget his dream. Old Joe and Bessie had their gifts，too.And Maurice tried so hard to be helpful that he made all his friends glad because the happy \"New Year\" had come.

一個寒冷的清晨，莫里斯從睡夢中醒來，坐起來仔細聆聽。有人在敲他的窗戶，于是他打開窗低聲問：“誰在那兒？”

“是我，”一個叮叮當當的聲音回答道，“我是小'新年'，我承諾給每個人帶來祝福。但我是這樣一個小不點兒，需要有人幫我發送它們。你愿意出來幫忙嗎？”“別怕冷，”小“新年”懇求道，“請幫幫我吧！”

于是莫里斯迅速穿上衣服，很快來到外面的院子。只見一個比他個頭小一點點的，臉被凍得發紫的小男孩，手里推著一個很大的似乎滿載著好東西的推車。推車的一邊漆著一個“愛”字，另一邊是“善良”。“新年”一看到莫里斯就說：“現在請握住這個和我一起推吧。”于是他們沿著汽車道，爬上小山丘到了一個老舊而簡陋的小屋前。

“這就是我第一個要到的地方，”新年說。莫里斯很驚奇地望著他，“為什么？這里只有一個老頭，他一個子女都沒有！”“他需要我的幫助，” “新年”說，“年長的人像孩子一樣需要人關心。你清出一條通向他家門口的路，我卸些禮物下來。”小小的雙手開始了繁忙的工作，把暖和的衣服，木頭和一份新年晚餐堆起來。

“新年”邊做邊唱：“噢，我是小小新年，噢！噢！我踏著積雪，腳步輕快，來到這里，搖著鈴鐺，哼著快樂的歌，所以請你打開門來讓我進去。”

老喬聽到了外面的聲音，走到門前，當他看見那些美麗的禮物時，喜悅的淚水流過了他臉頰，他把東西搬進屋低聲說道：“一定是仁慈的上帝今晚來過了。”

“我們現在該去哪兒？”莫里斯邊問邊向山下跑。“去給一個窮苦的生病女孩摘些鮮花。”“新年”回答說。

很快他們來到了一個白色的小房子前，“新年”停了下來。“為什么貝斯住在這兒，”莫里斯說，“我還不知道她病了。”“瞧，”“新年”說，“窗子是掩著的，我們把這束粉色的石竹花扔進去吧。她醒來后看到它們會非常高興的，會讓她高興好幾天。”

之后他們趕到了其他地方，留下了許多祝福。

“你這個推車真神奇！”莫里斯說，“盡管拿出了很多東西，但它似乎永遠不會空。”“說對了，莫里斯，愛和善是無盡的。只要我找到想要愛和善待的人，我的推車就會為之滿載祝福；直到我再也找不到能幫助的人，才會空掉。如果你愿意每天和我一起，幫我撒播祝福，你會發現一整年你有多么快樂。”

“新年快樂！”有人喊道，莫里斯發現自己躺在床上，他的姐姐正站在門口笑著看他。“親愛的弟弟，做個好夢沒？”她問。

“怎么回事？小‘新年’呢？”莫里斯說，“他剛剛還和我在一起的。”

“來媽媽房里吧，看看他給你帶了什么。”他姐姐回答說。來到房間，只見一個雪白色的搖籃里躺著一個小男嬰，這就是他的新年禮物。莫里斯高興極了！但他沒有忘記他的夢。老喬和貝斯也收到了他們的禮物，莫里斯盡力幫助別人，他所有的朋友都感到高興，因為快樂的“新年”已經到來。

◆編輯：譚添夏