The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-02-19

takes care of you?" s'Oh, we take care of
each other; Ma tells me what to do, and do
it; but our money that came from the things
we sold is all gone now and I don't know
what we shall do, now Ma is so sick, if can
not get more time to go on errands for the la
dies" "What did you do at the shop this
morning." asked Nellie. "Oh, sold my hood
that lady who lived at the American Hotel
gave me last winter for doing errands. Ma
said yesterday il she could only have little
beef-soup she might relish it, and gain strength.
She doesn't know our money is gone, and |
cannot bear to tell her for fear she will ask
how / buy the bread, and feel troubled about
my selling my things; she needs her things
| more than do mine, and l only got one err
rand to do this morning; SO thought it would
be better to do without the hood if COULD
sell it, than that she should do without the
broth; and am so glad now can make II for
her See, there is my meat (pointlng TO the
| little 2arceD, hice, juicy beefr' And poor
| Betsey's eyes, that had filled with tears at
mention of her father, now shone again with
pleasure. elbow much did you get for your
hood?" "Only two shillings and this hand
kerchief, and the man said he paid me more
than IT was worth, and he should lose money
on it."
1t all surprised Nellie, and as she dropped
her eyes in thought, she spied poor little Bet
sey's little red, half frozen toes peep'ng out at
the gap in her shoe. Pity and distress got the
better of her usual sense of propriety, and she
asked, "Are these your best 81 oes, Betsey;
and have you no stockngs?" The poor child
blushed as she answered, 81 have pair of
stockings for Sundays, but no better shoes.''-
"But you cannot wear this handkerchief to
church." sob, no, don't expect to, but /
put on my stockings and clean clothes on SuI,-
day just because it is the Lords day, and Ma
likes to see me better dressed" The Doctor
here interrupted the little g,rls' chat, as he
came from behind the screen ready to take
Nelly home. Seeing Betsey and the slice of
beef for the broth, he approvingy patted her,
and promised an early call tomorrow. They
were scarcely out of hearing Of poor Betsey,
when Nellie commenced the history Of her
sacrifices, and besought her father to buy some
shoes and warm clothes for her. "That,r
said the Doctor, sis more easily said than done.
Your mother has bought more than one suit of
warm clothes for poor girls, but il it has come
to be necessary for the happiness and good
behavior of our little girl to dress as expen-
sively as those little misses whose Mammas
save no money to give away, fear she shall
be obliged to deny herself the pleasure some-
times how of dressing such little ones as Bet
sey" Poor Nellie hung her head in tsarful
silence awhile. ..but at last finding courage to
how pleasant il would be to give away shoes
and stockings to a little girl who hadn't got
them, and if you will forgive Inc this time, and
take back the twenty shllings YOU gave me,
and spend them for poor Betsey, it would
make me great deal happier than two feath-
my bonnet as il is, whether Betsey has the
shoes or not.' "a
"Spoken like my own dear Nellie." said the
Doctor, afectionately drawing the robe closer
around her. sit shall be as you say; but you
shall buy what you please and take il to Betsey
5oui seH' A>eihe was qui'e pesiue Heisel as
she thought of Buying back again the pretty
hood and getting other warm clothing for poor
Betsey, and nourishirg food fo- the dear sck
mamma; but she thought she would rather
send them by her father than take the gifts
herself to Betsey. And when the doctor lift
ed Nellie from the carriage at their own door,
he said, 81 blame nyself, my daughter, that
have not before helped you to discover that
the cheapest way of purchasing the greatest
amount of happiness, is in making little sacri-
fees for the good of others.'' M. F.