Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-02-17
gor nuu,rg Readtrs.
THE PRECIOUS THIMBLE.


covered stand, and upon the velvet cush-
ion silver thimble. 1t was, in itself, so
commonplace and inexpensive that I
wondered little to see it there, and see
ing my eyes rest upon it, my friend said
| to me:
L would not give that, Annie, for all
the costly jewels in my jewel-case.
Tell me about it, said.
(" 1t happened years ago, wnen I was
not the wife of the rich Mr. Gray, but the
widow of Paul Morris, and so very poor
| that | shudder now to think of the pains
| endured from actual cold and hunger.
was happy in one possession, a little blue
! eyed daughter, eight years old-the sweet
est, most loving little lassie who ever
made mothers heart glad We lived in
one small room in the fourth story of a
| crowded tenement house, and there |
stitched for actual food, making but a
scanty 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 l
thought never before was mother blessed
with so precious child.
eve were seated one day, Jennie and
[, 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 nv
thimble and gave little cry of pain.
Jennie looked up, with an air of wise
thought on her sweet, womanly little face
saying:
"' Mamma, you really must have new
thimble. That old one can't be patched
up any more
s. will buy q cheap one soon,' | said.
"' Does silver one cost so very much y
she asked.
"' Half dollar or perhaps more. We
cannot afford any such luxuries now,' I
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.
"' If it was only summer, she said, L
could run barefoOted.'
Jennie!' l cried
6 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 day or two later missed Jennie
| often for an hour at time, and was told
always:
vas just helping Mrs. Marshall
little, mamma
made no objection, because Mrs.
Marshall, our landlady, was very good to
the child, giving her often cake or
nice morsel. Yet | noticed an air of
gravity and importance upon the dear
child's face that puzzled me, though
asked no questions, but waited for her to
speak. Two months, nearly, had passed,
when one morning | 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 nv
hand tiny box.
"' Open it, mamma l bought it all
myself. 1t was seventy five cents, but the
man let me have it for fifty when I told
him all about it. Open it! Isn't it
beauty?'
Z" L opened the box and saw the thimble,
but | was too much surprised to admire it
then.
"'But the money, Jennie?' I said
a6 OF cl, II
every cent
" But how, darling?
'Scrubbing Mrs. Marshall's kitchen.
She gave me three cents every time
"Think of it, Annie-think of that deli
cate little child on her knees scrubbing
the large kitchen-foor for three cents, day
after day, to buy thimble for me- Do
you wonder caught her in my arms and
sobbed over her, till she asked me won
deringly:
care you sorry you have new thin
BILE, mammal
"'No, darling; I am thanking God for
my loving little girl
q wore the thimble many weary
months, sewing steadily for daily bread,
and delighting Jennie by declaring
worked twice as fast with it upon my fin
ger. Then, as you know, | married good,
kind Mr.. Grey, who gives me every COM
fort and pleasure money can buy.
"But Jennie, the noble, blue-eyed little
girl who bore poverty and deprivation so
bravely, was not pared to me to share my
prosperity. She sickened with scarlet |
fever and died in her tenth year
after she died put the thimble where |
you see it; where every day can look at |
it and think of the loving little heart that
brought it to me, of the dear little hands |
that toiled so hard to save mine. IS. |
Annie Frost in Neth0dSst