American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-06-25
FORTY DOLLARS FOR FOUR TEETH.
A REAL INCIDENT.

FORTY DOLLARS FOR FOUR TEETH.
AREAL INCIDENT.
"Elsier'
eyes, papa" and the child dashed
away her tears and sprang to the bed
where her father lay bandaged and
That day. an explosion had happened
in the mill where he worked, and he
was badly hurt. ..,...5=.-.,,,... =,
"Water!'' he said, feebly.
She gave it to him, and he went on
speaking ss5-f - ~ %
Where's the money, Elsiee" .brs
Here, papa putting her hand ON
the bosom of her dress.
q That right. Take good care of
it. Cod only knows when we shall
have any more. Poor childp' he add
ed, ,fondly. see a. E,t
.sNot.r a. bit of it." she answered,
gaily. i. You'll be at home all the time
now. and we'll have such q good time
together ,.-,ss ~
Her father gave her loving smile.
and closed his eyes YEARLY. Elsie
began to stroke his hand, and he soon
fell into an uneasy slumber. 5isiH
The two were all in all to each other.
They came from England and had been
in America but few months. Elsie
was plain, delicate child of thirteen,
but her father called her his dove Of
comfort, and now she was proving her
right to the name. She tended him day
patience that made everybody love her.
But the weeks went by, the money
was spent, and still he lay on his bed.
The wolf was at the door. How could
they keep him outP
Then it was that her father said:
'.Elsie, where are the silver spoonsf'
'.In mammals little trunk, with the
ring and the jacket" she answered.
"You must get them out and carry
them to Mr.. Black II
"Oh, papa, no! It's all the silver
we have, and mamma thought every
thing of Them" she cried. impulsively.
The sick man made no answer, but
he put his hands over his eyes. and
soon Elsie saw the tears steal slowly
through his fingers.
Papa, dear papa! didn't mean it.
How cruel of me'' she exclaimed,
throwing her arms about him. I'm
take them this minute, and when you
get well and earn money Wen have
them back again.
: when get well! wonder when
that will beP'' he said, despairingly.
i Before long-slow and sure" you
Know" she answered, brightly, and in
"a few minutes she set out on her first
Visit to the pawnbroker. But it was
till every possible thing had been car
cheerfully to bear hunger and cold for
SaE a ~
He, too. poor man, must see his dar-
ling grow hollow-cheeked and big-eyed,
with no power to save her. What
could they do but lie down together and
die?
AS Elsie went home from her last
visit to the pawnbroker she stopped at
a grocery 10 buy a little coal, and,
while she waited for other customers,
she looked listlessly at the morning
paper lying on the counter. As she did
SO, these words caught her eye:
W4sTEDIFour perfect front teeth. for
CHARLES Dow, Dentist,
No. Street.
The poor little face flushed scarlet
with sudden hope. perhaps he
would take mine,' she thought;
. Mother Savage said yesterday she
wondered how such homely child
came to have such handsome teeth"
She seemed to herself to be dream
ing. Forty dollars" Forty dol
lars" kept saying itself over in her
brain, and when the shopman turned to
wait on her she was gone. A few min
utes after she stood in the dentist 8
office.
please, will you see if my teeth are
good enough to buyp" she asked, tim
idly. zszs- asses
The doctor was engaged in delicate
teeth a hurried examination.
"How beautiful! They are just what
l want. Come morrow" he said,
going back to his work.
The rest of the day Elsie's father
thought her wonderfully gay, but he
could not think why, for she said moth
ing of her plan, about which she began
to lose courage when the first excite
ment of it subsidized Hard things look
easier in the morning than they do at
night; and as she sat in the twilight.
studying herself in bit of looking
glass. she thought sorrowfully: 81 shall
be homelicr than ever when they are
gone: but then how silly of me to care
about that. Papa will love me just the
same. But it will hurt SO to have them
out" she went on thinking, and every
nerve in her body quivered at the pros
pect. ..If it wasn't for the rent, and
the medicine for papa, and ever SO many
other things l never could beg,
nerer Yes. Elsie Benson, it's got to be
done, if it kills your
The next morning she entered the
dentists office by the mere force of
will. Her courage was all gone. DIR.
Dow was alone, and said GOOD morn
ing" very kindly; but when he saw
how she trembled, he put her on the
lounge and made her drink something.
that quoted her. Then he sat down by
her, and said; Now tell me what your
name is, and why you want to sell your
teeth"
He spoke so gently that at first Elsie
could only answer him with tears; but
at last he contrived to get all her sad
story, and his eyes were wet and his
voice husky several times while she was
telling it.
You are dear. brave child" he
said, when she finished. Nov l am
will tn fathpr "