Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-17
A TRUE STORY OF FOUR TEETH
A Real Incident.

eyes, papa and the child dashed
away her tears and sprang to the bed
where her father lay bandaged and help
less
That day an explosion had happened
in the mill where he worked, and he was
badly hurt.
"Waterl" he said, feebiy.
She gave it to him, and he went on
speaking:
"Where's the money, Elsie?'
"Here, papa" putting her hand on the
bosom of her dress.
"That's right. Take good care of it.
God only knows when he shall have any
more. Poor child" he added, fondly.
ssNot bit of it," she answered, gaily.
"You'll be at home all the time now, and
we'll have such good time together"
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.
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 and night,
with CHEEKY, skillful patience that made
everybody love her.
But the weeks went by, the money was
spent, and still he lay on his bed. The
keep him out?
Then it was that her father said "Elsie,
where are the silver spoons?'
ssIn mammals little trunk, with the ring
and the jacket" she answered.
"You must get them out and carry
them to Mr.. Black"
"Oh, papa, no! It's all the silver we
have, and mamma thought everything of
Them" she cried, impulsively.
The sick man made no answer, but he
put mis- hands over his eyes, sand soon
Elsie saw the tears steal slowly through
his fingers.
"Papa, dear papa didn't mean it.
How cruel of me!' she exclaimed, throw
ing her arms about him. ''I'll take them
this minute, and when you get well and
earn money we'll have them back again"
"When I get WE'LL l wonder when
that will be,'' he said, despairingly.
"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 not her
last. Time and again she went till every
possible thing had been carried; and,
meantime, she was learning cheerfully
to bear hunger and cold for ''papa's
sake.''
He, too, poor man, must see his dar-
ling grow hollow checked and big eyed,
with no power to save her. What else
could they do but lie down together and
die?
AS Elsie went home from her last visit
to the pawnbroker, she stopped at gro
Gerry to buy 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:
WANTED-Four perfect front teeth, for
which will give forty dollars.
CHARLES Dow, Dentist.
No. K street.
The poor little face flushed scarlet
with a sudden hope "Perhaps he would
take mine," she thought, "Mother Saw
age said yesterday she wondered how
such a hOmely child came to have such
handsome teeth"
She seemed to herself to be dreaming.
sForty dollars! Forty dollars!" kept say
inc itself over and over in her brain, and
when the shopman turned to wait on
her she was gone.
A few minutes after she stood in the
dentists office.
sPlease sir, will you see if my teeth are
good enough to buy!" she asked, looking
timidly at him.
The doctor was engaged in delicate
operation, but he stopped to give the
teeth hurried examination.
Chow beautiful! They are just what l
want. Come tomorrow" he said, going
back to his work.
The rest of the day Elsie's father
thought her wonderfully gay, but he did
not know why, for she said nothing of
her plan, about which she began to lose
courage as the first excitement of it sub
sided. Hard things look easier in the
morning than they do at night; and as
she sat in the twilight, studying herself
in a bit of looking glass, she thought,
sorrowfully:
81 shall be homlier than ever when
they are gone; but then, how silly of me
to care about that Papa will love me
lust the same But it will hurt so to have
them out" she went on thinking, and
every nerve in her body quivered at the
prospect. eff it wasn't for the rent, and
the midicine for papa, and ever so many
other things l never could beg, never.
Yes, Elsie Benson, it has got to be done,
if it kills you"
The next morning she entered the den
fists office by the mere force of will. Her
courage was all gone. DR.. Dow was
alone, and said "Good morning." very
kindly; but when he saw how she tremb-
led, he put her on the lounge and made
her drink something that quieted 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 brave good child" he said,
when she finished. CHOW l am going
with you to see your father"
ssBut you'll take the teeth first, won't
your she asked, imploringly. 81 shall
never have courage to come again.
ssNever mind that Well see If there
isn't some better wav out of this trouble -