by a neighbor of mine and found her weeping tears of bitter pain. I approached her and asked her the cause of her weeping; at first she refused to speak, then she turned her face toward me, wiped away her tears, and said in a hoarse voice: I will tell you what I did, so that you may mock me and set me right; perhaps in that there will be some consolation for me.

I said: Speak, for unburdening brings relief.

She said: I entered my daughter's room suddenly and noticed that she grew flustered and hid some-thing under her mattress and sat on it. I asked her the reason for her confusion and about the thing she had hidden, and she denied to me that anything was hidden — so I threatened her with harshness if she did not tell the truth, but she persisted in her denial. I struck her gently at first, then rained hard blows on her until she could no longer bear my injustice; she burst into tears and cried: "I will tell you now what I was doing when you came into my room, though I would have preferred to keep the news secret until your feast day, so that I could give you this" — and she brought out a parcel whose wrapping was not yet finished — "and it would be a lovely surprise for you. Ever since you gave me that big toy on my seventh birth-day, I have been saving every penny of my pocket money until I could buy it, without asking money from Father, for fear he would give my secret away to you before its time and the charm of the gift would be lost.

She said this sobbing — not for her pain, but because I had forced her to speak and had spoiled for her the pleasure of surprising me with something wonderful. Imagine my state now, after I repaid her with this cruelty in return for that feeling toward me.

The mother fell silent a little, the telling having calmed her agitation; then she asked me, trying to lighten what she felt:

"Do you not think it is the parents' right to know everything their children do?"

I answered her: "You are not alone in this mistaken behavior, for most families among us behave in the same way, out of clinging to what they believe is a right they hold over their children. If you permit, I shall tell

this story in the hearing of all parents, as a lesson to them in their conduct with their children; and if they take heed, there will be some solace in it for you.

Aspro — Drive Away Throat Congestion

You get a soothing, long-lasting effect from gargling with 'Aspro'

A congested throat often means that a cold is on its way to you. And the best answer to that is to gargle with 'Aspro.' The result is extremely quick — the congestion goes, and the soothing effect continues for a long while. What happens is that the countless minute particles of 'Aspro' coat the throat, producing a helpful, soothing effect; and it helps greatly if you also sip a little of the solution. The action of 'Aspro' in good time will undoubtedly spare you a great deal of trouble afterwards. So drive away that throat congestion — and that cold will not develop!

I felt a severe inflammation in my throat after that very windy day, and it distressed me greatly. I happened to be looking through the government radio magazine at my brother-in-law's house and found in it the Aspro advertisement, so I sent for it at once and did what was necessary; and within a very few hours the pain I had was gone. So I felt bound to offer you my abundant thanks for the noble services and true help you render to humanity.

Muhammad Ali Salim

Teacher at al-Basatin School, Giza

L-402

Prices in Lebanon

15 tablets, 15 piasters

27 tablets, 70 piasters

Agents: J. B. Sheridan (Middle East) Ltd., Beirut

P.O.B. 648, Beirut.