「修女，我可以擦黑板嗎? 」

老師允許了後就離開了教室，當她回來時，瑪麗正用力的擦，教室充滿了粉筆的灰塵，擦完了黑板，她感到很滿意，就留在教室聊天：

「修女，我希望我可以永不回家。」

她的老師驚訝的說：「為什麼?想一想，妳的爸爸和媽媽會多孤單，假如他們的小女兒永遠不回家。」

 

「媽媽可能會難過，但是爸爸不管我們，他經常很慈愛，但自從他開始喝酒，我們都很害怕，當他進來時，我們都躲起來。」

 

老師從她的桌上拿了一個耶穌聖心牌，遞給這孩子，告訴她它別在父親的衣服上。

「妳和我一起每天為他祈禱，我會請全班的學生為妳的意向念三遍耶穌聖心短誦。」

「修女，這樣是非常好，但是，假如爸爸不許我把耶穌聖心牌別在他的衣服上，怎麼辦?」

「那就告訴他，是我送給他，要他別在衣服上。」

下午上課前，瑪麗氣喘噓噓的跑到學校，很渴望的告訴修女，她的爸爸已經同意把耶穌聖心牌別在衣服上。

耶穌從未拒絕小孩子的祈禱，瑪麗從老師那兒得到耶穌聖心牌，已經過了三年，吉先生滴酒未沾，家裡充滿了幸福。

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27.A Brave Little Girl

        “Sister, please may I erase the blackboard?”  The teacher gave the desired permission and left the room to dismiss the class.  When she returned, Mary was rubbing vigorously and the room was filled with chalk dust.  After completing her task, the child seemed quite content and remained in the room talking.  “Sister, I wish I never had to go home.”  “Why, think how lonely your father and mother would be if their little girl never returned home!” her teacher said in surprise.  “Mother might be sad, but father does not care any more.  He used to be kind but since he began to drink, we are all afraid and hide when he comes in.”

        The teacher took from her desk a Sacred Heart badge and gave it to the child, telling her to pin it on her father’s coat.  “You and I will pray for him, dear, every day, and I shall have the class recite three aspirations to the Sacred Heart for your intention.”  “That will be lovely, Sister but suppose father will not allow me to pin the badge on his coat?”  “Then tell him that I sent it and would like him to wear it.”

        Before the afternoon session had begun, Mary came in breathless; she had run all the way to school, so eager was she to tell Sister that her father had consented to wear the badge.

        The Heart of Christ can never refuse the prayers of little children.  Although more than three years have elapsed since Mary obtained the badge from her teacher, Mr. G. has never touched liquor and happiness reigns in that home.