The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-07-26
Ghilaren's Column.
A Pleasant Surprise.

over as if he had forty stings. We've
been talking through the stove-hole to
comfort each other. This hole is in the
wall at the side of my bed so, if l put
a chair on the bed, and then climb up
and stand on tiptoe can, see into John
nys room and we can have good talk.
We're in trouble; and this is how it
happened:
One day last week our teacher read
us story about a good little girl who
had sick father and he was going to
starve to death cause he hadn't any
money to buy oranges; and everything
had gone wrong inside. Well, the good
little girl heard that a dentist wanted
some teeth, and would pay well for them
q don't see why he should pay money
for teeth when he could have his own
for nothing.) The little girl had fine
teeth, so she went to the dentist and
asked him to take some of them out and
pay her the money they were worth, for
her poor father Then the dentist made
her tell him all about her father and he
wouldn't take the teeth, but he gave her
the money Just the same, and went to see
her father, and got doctor for him, so
he didn't die
1t was beautiful story, and made me
cry. Johnny said it wasnt anything to
cry about stories like that were for ex-
amples, and when we had a chance we
mustjust go and do likewise.
Well, this morning when father was
putting on his overcoat, Johnny and l
asked him for penny And father, he
said we were always wanting pennies,
and he wasn't made of money and then
he went out.
Sister EN- began to cry cause father
said she couldn't have new dress this
Easter. Every was going wrong
and he didn't know what would become
of him and he was sick of everything.
Johnny and I didn't cry we only
looked at each other.
While we were going to school Johnny
said this was our chance. Now we could
do like the good little girl, and be sup
port to our parents. Dentists always
wanted teeth, and we'd go to the dentist
right away after school and have it over
And then, says Johnny, If we've
made five dollars for father perhaps he'll
give US our penny, cause it'll be such a
pleasant surprise to him."
be out | got black mark in arithme-
tic, cause when Miss Stevens asked me
if you had an apple, and if Samuel Smith
ate it up, what had you left? said,
Your teeth.
After school we walked about till we
came to dentists, and we went in and
asked him if he wanted some teeth. And
he said, why? did we want to lose
some?' and we told him, Eyes
We thought he would sit down and ask
us all about it, just as the other dentist
did the good little girl; but he only
said
Let's look at EN-.
Then he made Johnny climb up in the
high chair and tip his head back; and
then he said E" You want those two out
that crowd the rest" Then he put an
iron thing into Johnny's mouth and pull
led out one tooth, and then he pulled out
another. And he said Johnny was
brave boy cause he didn't holloa.
asked Johnny if it hurt, and he said
Not much, and don't you disgrace the
family, Kitty White, by bowling"
Now, my little lady" says the den
list, get into the chair and I'll be as
gentle as I can" SO he helped me up
and tipped back my head and looked
Your teeth are crowded Just like
your brothers" says he; and then he be-
gins to pull"
Ny how it hurt And didn't I make
noise thought my head was coming
off. But it was over in minute, and
the dentist told Johnny not to laugh at
me, cause my teeth came harder than
his did.
When our teeth were out we thought
the dentist would pay us. He asked us
whose little boy and girl we were, and
where we lived, and said this was pleas
ant weather for little folks.
And after awhile he said: It's four
dollars"
We thought he had four dollars for us,
and held out our hands, but he didn't
give us anything. Instead Of that he
said Haven't you got any money 2"
Then Johnny explained to him that
we thought that he would pay us for our
teeth so that we could help our poor
father.
The dentist began to laugh and said
he didn't pay for teeth; but he would
give us letter that would make it all
right
So he wrote a letter and sealed it, and
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