American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-02-26
Om Bous and girls.
THE PRECIOUS THIMBLE.
NO. g..

| HAD Ill the TOOH Ol my ITlenQ
| Mrs. Gray, amongst the costly articles
that were upon the dressing-tablc and
scattered about the room, little glass
covered stand, and upon the velvet cush.
| ion a silver thimble. 1t was, in itself, Sc
commonplace and inexpensive that |
wondered little to see it there, and see
ing my eyes rest upon it, my friend said
| to me:
g would not give that, Annie, for all
| the costly jewels in my .jewel-case"
Tell me about it, l said.
g 1t happened years ago, when l was
| not the wife of the rich Mr.. Gray, but the
widow of Paul Morris, and so very poor
that L shudder now to think of the pains
| endured from actual cold and hunger. l
was happy in one possession, a little blue
eyed daughter, eight years Old-the sweet
m," Il mothers heart glad. We lived in
one small rr,u.,, in the fourth story of a
crowded tenement-ho u.c, and there L
Etched for actual food, mak1us but
scauty living. used to grow fairly sick
looking at brick and mortar, and longing
for the pure country air for my pale little
Jennie. She was SO helpful, baby as she
seemed to me, saving me many hours for
my work by her handy ways, that
thought never before was mother blessed
with SO precious a child.
- We were seated one day, jennie and
1, busy each in her own way-I rapidly
stitching to finish some shirts, Jennie por-
ing over her spelling bOOk-when l ran
the needle into a hole in the top of my
thimble and gave little cry of pain.
Jennie looked up, with an air of wise
thought on her sweet, womanly little face
saying:
"a Mamma, you really must have a new
thimble. That old one can't be patched
up any more
g. will buy cheap one soon,' said.
'' Does silver one cost sovery much 2
she asked.
60 Half dollar or perhaps more We
cannot afford any such 1uXuries nOw,'
answered. We are saving, you know,
Jennie, for two new pairs of shoes, and
every penny counts
She held up her ragged shoe, and
looked at it very gravely.
as If it was only summer she said, /
could run barefoOted.'
"Jcnniep' cried.
81 know you never let me- she said,
but if it was to save your poor fingers
could do it.
1--WE said no more then about the mat
ter, but Il day or two later / missed Jennie
often for an hour at time, and was told
always:
g was just helping Mrs. Marshall
little, mamma
81 made no objection, because Mrs.
Marshall, our landlady, was very good TO
the child, giving her often cake or a |
nice mOrsel. Yet l noticed an air of
gravity and importance upon the dear
child's face that puzzled me, though 1
asked no questions, but waited for her to
speak. Two months, nearly, had passed, |
when one morning l heard Jennie come
up the stairs, springing along so lightly
and quickly, looked up from my work
to see what had SO pleased her. She
bounded into the room and put into my
hand tiny box.
90 Open it, mamma l bought it all
myself. 1t was seventy five cents, but the
man let me have it for fifty when l told
him all about it. Open it! Isn't it a
beauty?'
~ opened the box and saw the thimble,
but was too much surprised TO admire it
then.
"'But the money, Jennie?' I said.
81 earned it ALL" she said glccfully,
every cent
"'But how, darling?'
'Scrubbing Mrs. Marshall's kitchen.
She gave me three cents every time.
"1'hink of it, Annie-thinK of that deli
cate little child on her knees scrubbing
The large kitchen-fioor for three cents, day
after day, to buy a thimble tor me. Do
you wonder l caught her in my arms and
,obbed over her. till she asked me won
leringly:
''Are you sorry you have a new Thin
BILE, mamma?'
"'No, darling; l am thanking God for
my loving little girl
81 wore the thimble many weary
months, sewing steadily for daily bread,
and delighting Jennie by declaring. l
worked twice as fast with it upon my fin
ger. Then, as you know, married good,
kind Mr.. Grey, who gives me every COM
ort and pleasure money can buy.
''But Jennie, the noble, blue-eyed little
girl who bore poverty and deprivation so
was not spared to ME to share my
She sickened with scarlet
ever and died in her tenth year.
After she died put the thimble where
you see it; where every day can look at
t and think of the loving little heart that
brought it to me, of the dear little hands
hat toiled SO hard to save mine."-S.
1nnie Frost, IN Methodist.