"
"Well, Jack, tell us what you know about this mysterious 'White
Gift'," commanded his father.
"I would rather Marcia should tell it, father; I know so little."
"Oh, go on, Jack," urged Marcia; "you can't possibly know less about
it than I do, for I confess I was so full of the disappointment of the
little ones that the other side of it didn't impress me very much."
"Well, as I remember it," said Jack, "the gist of the plan is
this--that Christmas is Christ's birthday, and we should make our
gifts to him, instead of to one another; and the idea of the White
Gift was suggested by the story of the Persian king named Kublah Khan,
who was a wise and good ruler, and greatly beloved. On his birthday
his subjects kept what they called the 'White Feast.' This was
celebrated in an immense great white banqueting-hall, and each one of
his subjects brought to their king a white gift to express that the
love and loyalty of their hearts was without stain. The rich brought
white chargers, ivory and alabaster; the poor brought white pigeons,
or even a measure of rice; and the great king regarded all gifts
alike, so long as they were white. Have I told it right, cousin?"
queried Jack.
"Yes, I think so. It is a beautiful thought, I must confess, and might
be all right in a large, rich Sunday school; but in a mission school
like ours I am sure it will be a failure.
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