"Miss Smith! What rough(粗糙的) hands Mary Jessup has!" said Daisy Marvin, as she walked home from school with her teacher.
"In my opinion, Daisy, Mary's hands are the prettiest in our class."
"Why? Miss Smith, they are as red and hard as they can be. How they would look if she tried to play on a piano!" Daisy said.
Miss Smith took Daisy's hands in hers and said," Your hands are very soft and white, just the hands to look beautiful on a piano; yet they don't have one beauty that Mary's hands do. Shall I tell you what the difference is? "
"Yes, please, Miss Smith." Daisy looked at Miss Smith, with eyes wide open.
"Well, Daisy, Mary's hands are very busy. They wash dishes; they make fires; they hang out clothes, and help to wash them, too; they are always trying to help her poor, hard-working mother."
Miss Smith continued, "Besides, they wash and dress the children; they mend their toys and dress their dolls; yet, they find time to bathe the head of the little girl who is so sick in the next house to theirs." "They do good deeds(行为) to every living thing. I have seen them patting the tired horse and the homeless dog in the street. They are always ready to help those who need help."
"I shall never think Mary's hands are ugly any more, Miss Smith." Daisy said that with tears in eyes. "I am glad to hear you say that, Daisy; and I must tell you that they are beautiful because they help others gladly and cheerfully."
"Oh，Miss Smith! I feel so ashamed of myself and so sorry，" said Daisy, looking into her teacher's face with shining eyes. "My dear, beauty doesn't lie in how one looks but what he does."
