1.In one of the London hospitals，a short time ago，a young doctor was employed as an assistant.He was very much interested in one of the patients，a poorgirl ten years old，who was suffering from a very painful disease .
2.Katie lay in her little white cot，day after day，with nothing to amuse her，or help her to forget her pain.One day the doctor noticed her trying to make a doll of her finger，and speaking to it for a while.But she soon tired of this，and witha weary sigh she lay back to watch the pale sunlight creeping slowly across her bed.
3.That afternoon，as the young doctor was passing along the street，he noticed a ribbon of a lovely soft rose colour hanging in a shop window.He thought thatit might help to amuse little Katie，and so he went in and bought it for her.
4.When he handed the ribbon to the child，she was too much surprised to speak.As she unrolled it，so smooth，and glossy，and delicatein colour，her eyes sparkled with joy；and when she looked at her kind friend，they were dimmed with tears.She had met with very little love or kindness in her life，and this little gift made her feel rich and happy.
5.The nurse afterwards told the doctor that the child played with the ribbon all day long.She twisted it round her head，playing that she was a bride，a princess，or a fairy.She held it in her hand while sheslept，or laid it，folded in paper，under her pillow.
6.Some weeks later，Katie‘s disease became worse，and it was found necessary to perform a dangerous operation.The operation was to be performed by twoof the most skilful doctors in London.
7.But when Katie was brought into the room where the doctors were，she cried out for the young assistant who had been so kind to her.“He is the only friend I have，”she sobbed.He was brought，and he held oneof the child’s hands，while the other was tightly closed over a little pink roll.
8.During the operation this fell from her grasp.As soon as she woke up from the effects of the ether，sheopened her eyes and looked at her friend.“My ribbon，”she whispered.He gave it to her，while the doctors and nurses stood grave and silent.
9.The operation had not been successful.Katie smiled happily into the face of her friend，and clasping the faded bit of silk，fell asleep for ever.
It was but a trifling gift，and yet it had made the child‘s last days bright with thoughts of beauty and love.
10.“Loving words will cost but little，Journeying up the hill of life；But they make the weak and weary Stronger，braver for the strife.
So，as up life’s hill we journey，Let us scatter all the wayKindly words，to be as sunshine In the dark and cloudy day.”
