Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-16
QUITE A BLUNDER.
How Jessie Earned Five Dollars and Nino
teen Cents Tor u New Years Present.

How Jessie Earned Five Dollars and Nine
teen Cents Tor u New Years Present.
Jessie was just learning to add,
Dreadful work she made of it some
times, and occasionally, when she was
all mixed up, she would declare thas
she hated numbers with all her might,
so she did, and she wished Che mar who,
made the addition table had got lost in.
the woods, and never found his way
out.
Getting lost in the woods was some-
thing that Tessie lived in terror of.
Grandpa made a great pet of Tessie~
and was always trying to help her out
OF her troubles.
One night in the midst of his news
paper reading he heard Jessie wailing;
not over the addition table this time,
but over the fact that she had so little
money. Her church subscription was
due-she gave two cents a week to the
b~uilding-fund for the new church. If
all the people had done as we'll as thats
in proportion to their wealth they
would soon have had q new church.
She belonged, too, to the Children's'
Band of Foieign Missions, and gave ten
cents a month to that; altogether, her
hands We're full. just now was Il new
call.
a Nev Years present to Miss Keith,
our own missionarv-tha. was the way
all the children of the band spoke of the
lady out in New Mexico, who sent them
letters. Jessie wanted to give to it,
but some bri@ht-colored papcr-dolls in
The window OF the toy-store had been
too much for her and her money was
all gone. No wonder Tessie walled.
whats all this:9" said grandpa, put
ting down his paper and looking over
!. his glasses. Jessie, With the tears still
shining on her lashes, explained.
Grandpa never could endure tears in.
her eyes. His hand went into his
pocket.
'<See here" he said. "seems to me 4
wasn't to give You any more money for
a week; but there is no law against your
Ii you count what I've got in my hand
and get it right the first time, you may
have it for Your dear Miss Keith.'
Joyfully Jessie agreed to this. She
did lot like adding. but she could afford.
to try very hard and be very carefuk
with such an object in view. So the
small handful Of pennies was passed
ovcr from grandpa's hand to hers, anG
she curled herself into the great chair
and commenced her task.
"Only n count, remember" said
grandpa. SO her lips moved slowly and
Carefully. At last She looked up.
Grandpa, there's five dollars and
nineteen cents
.What! what! whatr' said grandpa.
in great astonishment. ''Why, my lit
tie Tessie! How could you make such
Va big blundcr as that?' Let me see!'
lit is true" said Tessie, with a. gay
little laugh, covering up her treasure,
and turning herself away from grandpa
But finally she eomdescended to count
it for him. '.Look, grandpa! There's
five cents and tive cents, that makes
ten cents
Aye" said grandpa.
"And there's nine bright pennies. and
they make nineteen cents"
"Just so,n said grandpa.
"And then there is this very bright
penny, made of gold, and it says five
dollars on it; and that makes five. dol
lars and nineteen cents"
"Oh, ho'' said grandpa. I've
caught you now That is u new cent,
and nothing more"
But Jessie declared that it was. not \
cent, it was made of gold; it vas JUST
exactly like one that Ter papa showed
her only yesterday, and had just the
same letters on it, and papa told her It
was five dollars.
Let me see," sad grandpa. and he
took the shining penny in his hand and
turned it over an6 looked Mt it through
his glasses, and finally said: BLESS my
heart! Well, we'll, we:S! grandpa is the
n that is caught this time, sure
enough! 1t Can't be helped now; III
stick to my bargain. You counted
right, Jessie, tee money is yours"
And that was the way it happened
that Jessie. Warren gave five dollars
and ninetrel cents toward Miss Keith 8.
New leas's present.-IHe Pansy.