St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1881-07-09
FORTY DOLLARS FOR -FOUR
TEETH.
4 REAL INCIDENT.

"Elsie,"
"Yes. papa;" and the child dash
ed away her tears and sprang to the
bed where her father lay bandaged
and helpless.
That day an explosion had hap
pened in the nail where he worked
and he was badly hurt.
"Waterr' he said, feebly.
She gave it to him, and he went
on speaking:
where's the money, Elsie9"
Here, papa" putting her hand
on the bosom of her dress.
That's right. Take good care
of it. God only knows ~hen we
shall haze any more. Poor child"
he added, fondly.
Not bit of it." she answered,
gaily. You'll be at home all the
time now, and we'll have such a
good time together
Her father gave her loving smile
and closed his eyes wearily. Elsie
began to stroke his hand, and he
saon fell into all uneasy slumber.
The two we're all in al to each
other. They came from England
and had l,een in America but a few
months. Elsie was a plain, delicate
child of thirteen, but her father
called her lis dove of comfort, and
now she was proving her right to
the name. She tended him day
and night, With eheery, skillfnl
patience that made everybody love
her.
| But the weeks went by. the money
was spent, ard still he lay ON his
bed. The wolf was at the door.
How could they keep him outs
| Then it was that her father said
"Elsie, where are the silver spoons?"
"In mammals little trunk, with
ring and the jacket" she answered.
You must get them out and
carry them to Mr. Black"
"Oh, papa, mol It's all the silver
we have. and mamma thought
everything of them" she cried, i'm
pulsirely.
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 papal I didn't mean
it. How cruel Of me- J. she exclaim'
ell, throwing her arms about him
"Ill take them this minute, and
when yon get well and earn money
we'll have them back agaia."
/ "When ] get well! [ wonder
when that will be?" he said despair.
insly.
"Before long-slow and sure
you know" she answered, brightly.
and in few minutes she set out or
her first visit TO the pawnbroker
But it was not her last. Time and
again she went, till every possibk
thing had been carried; and, mean
time she was learning cheerfully tt
bear hunger and cold for "papa's
sake.
He, too, poor man, must see his
darling grow hollow-checked and
big-eyed, with no power to saw
her. What could they do but lii
down together and die?
As Elsie went homs from her las
, visit to the pawnbroker she stopped
at grocery to buy little coal, ant
while she waited for other custom
, ers she looked listlessly at the morn
ing paper lying on the counter. A
! she did SO, these words caught he
eye:
WANrED-Four perfect front teetl
for which I will give forty dollars
CHARLES Dow. Dentist,
No. s K Street.
The poor little face flushed scarle
with a sudden hope. perhaps b
&. would take mine," she thought
q Mother Savage said yesterday sh
$ wondered how such homely chile
came to have such very han dsom
teeth.
She seemed to herself to b
!, dreaming. Forty dollars" keE
u saving itself over in her brain, an
q wien the shopman turned to wa
: cn her she was gone. A few min
, utes after she stood in the dentist
Office.
Please, will you see if my teet
are rnod annnnh Ia hny2" she aske