Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-10-29

much thought to it; she was hafnm-
scarum little lassic. and so that her
money was quickly spent, never seemed
to care much how / am afraid the
most of it found it's way into the drawer
of old Tim, the candy man around the
corner.
just now all of them, save the baby,
to whom money meant nothing bnt
noise at present, had something IN we"
which they were saving up their Genus
to purchase. Ernest had a book in his
mind; Mary had seen a picture OF two
mischievous kittens which she thought
quite the cunlingest thing that she had
ever seen; Harry desired a large line
drum. Poor little Madge's ambition
rose no higher than doll-baby and
cradle in sugar, but she wanted 1t all
the same; and yet it was she who made
the discovery and set the ball in motion
for good.
This is how it was! Madge had been
around to old Tins to see her sugar
dolly. The goodnatured old man who
had been brave soldier and now
st,mped about with one wooden leg,
taken it down from its place on the shelf
for about the tenth time, and assured
the excited little maiden that he would
keep it for her until she had saved the
required sum. While the little girl was
walking slowly home, thinking, with q
good deal of truth, that this certainly
was the sweetest dolly thatshe had ever
seen, the opportunity came. 1t was
only poor little girl sitting Oh the
curbstone, but such poor little girl!
Although the day was not very cold,
she looked pinched and blue. She APP
peared so very forlorn that Madges
warm little heart was stirred in mo-
ment.
"Why don't you go home and get
warmed?" she said, softly, laying her
hand upon the shoulder that the rags
scarcely covered.
"The.e amt no fire there" answered
y,
nothin' to cat neither. Ma sent me out
to beg, but nobody won't give me
nothin';;" and the child gave despairing
sniff and tried to draw her tattered
shawl more closely about her.
"Poor little girl !"-and Madge's eyes
were full of tears-"I'll give you some
thing"
"Bless her kind heart! she had for
gotten all about the sugar dolly. The
three Scent pieces that she had been
having such hard work to save found
their way from out the tiny pocket
book into the poor little child's hand.
Madge thought she had never seen
such look Of delight as came into the
child's face when she felt the money in
her hand
II think she was almost starved,
mamma" said Madge, when telling
the story afterward.
| That very evening mamma told all
her little flock about the small Jane
and her sick mother, and asked them if
they would not help on the good work
which Madge had begun. She had al
ready sent around basket of food, but
she thought that all her children would
like to help.
A shade fell over Ernest's face. He
loved his mother and wanted to do
good, but how he did want the book!
Never SO much as now, he thought.
He hesitated but for moment and
then went from the room, and came
back and laid whole dollar in Scent
pieces on the table. What warm
smile mamma gave him! "You need
not give all, my boy. OF old, they
gave tenth Of what they had to the
poor"
II would rather, mother" he whis-
pered, ashamed of his moments hest
tation.
"You must wait awhile, my pussies, !"
said Mary to herself; and if there came
a sigh, it was so faint no one heard it..
She laid quietly on the little money
pile ten 5-cent pieces, and, STOPPING
down, she kissed her mother.
Harry sat all this while looking very
sulky. Finally, when he was ashamed
to sit any longer, he arose from his
seat, and muttering something in which
could be distinguished the words,
want my drum" threw four Scent
pieces on the table, and was going from
the room.
"Take back your money, Harry
God loveth cheerful giver.' I am
sure little Jane and her mother would
not want anything given in such spirit
They are very poor, though, Harry"
Harry stood still. He felt very hate
full. He wanted his money, but was
ashamed to take it. Finally, little
shamed feeling crept into Harry's heart.
He stole look at mamma How sorry
she seemed. He kept getting more
and more ashamed.