Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-11-10

| a
mercy, here's some cheese, an a nice
pickle. Yes, you must. Papa says 1t
| Isn't polite to refuse a lady. That's when
mamma offers him the second cup of cof-
| fee The old man took the second sand
witch, but he frowned a little at the cheese
| and crackers.
Rather extravagant," he growled.
That's just what papa says to mamma
| sometimes" cried the child AN
| mamma says she guesses he'd have hard
work to find anybody who could make a
dollar go further than she can. We have to
be awful careful, you know. There's
| clothes to buy, an what we eat, an the
rent. Why, mamma says she's always
| afraid to look the calendar in the face
| Tor fear rent day has come round again.
| Where do you live?"
Il live in house uptown" he an
swered.
Can you swing a cat in IT."
Swing a cat?"
You can't in our rooms, you know.
| They're the teeniest things We're ND
on the fifth fioor-but the janitor's a real
| nice man. He asked me to ask papa II
ne d trade me for two boys. An papa said
| to tell him that he might do It for the
| two boys an a couple o. pounds oradium
to boot. An l told the janitor, an he
| said he guessed papa wasn't very anxious
to trade. An told papa what Mr.. Ryan
| said. an he pulled one of my curls an
Ramseys millions twice over. That's the
man papa works for. DO you know him?'
The old man frowned. and then sud
denly smiled.
Yes, I've met him." he replied.
He's very rich, papa says, an he lives
all alone in a great big house, an he
hasn't any little girl, an he needs some
body to take care of him. an all he thinks
about is money, money, money! It's too
| bad to be as rich as that, isn't it?'
The old man looked hard at the child.
Money is pretty good thing, isn't
it?"
Il guess it is" the child replied. But
mamma says it's only good for what it
will buy. It's good for clothes, an what
you eat, an the rent. Then it's good for
nice things what you specially like, but
not too many. Then it's good for helpin'
those that need helpin, like lame Joe,
an when people is sick An it's good
to have little in the bank for rainy
day-though l don't see what difference
the rain makes. Amt this sponge cake
good?"
Money is very useful, them"
lis sometimes. When mammals
mamma died way out in Kansas mamma
couldn't go to the funeral cause papa was
just gettin' over fever an all our money
was gone, every cent, an we owed the
doctor an the rent. Mamma cried and
cried all day"
Ihere was a little silence.
And what would you do If YOU had
lots OF money, child?"
She looked up at him with her eyes
sparkling.
I'd give most of it to mamma and
papa But I'd keep a little myself" She
smiled at him in her bewildering way
Guess you don't know what a lot of
things you can buy for so cents! An then
I'd keep some for a chair-the kind you
wheel around-for lame Joe. He's a little
boy that lives near our house an he can't
never walk any more. An he sits on the
steps an makes faces at us when we run
by. An mamma says it's too bad some
body who has the money to spare can't
get him a chair like he needs, cause it
would be such happiness to him. An
mamma says maybe Mr.. Ramsey would
buy it, an papa laughed in such a funny
way. Mr.. Ramsey is the man he works
for, you remember"
Il remember" said the old man.
AN mamma said she guessed she'd
come down some day an tell Mr.. Ramsey
about lame Joe, an papa said real quick
he guessed she'd better not. An mamma
said she was only joking. Funny kind of
joking, wasn't it?'
1t sounds that way to me-" said the
old man dryly.
Yes. ! think so, too. When a mans
got so much money as Mr. Ramsey 1t
wouldn't be any trouble at all for him to
buy chair for a little lame boy, would
it?"
He did not answer her
How old are you?" he presently asked
I'm six. And how old are your
He laughed in his unaccustomed way.
I'm 70-today."
The child gave little scream of delight
Mercy! Is it your birthday! oh,
wish had known it! Mamma could make
you such a beautiful birthday cake
Wouldn't it have to be a big one! Just
imagine 20 candles, We think a lot of
birthdays at our house. Did you get
many presents?"
Not one"
She looked at him with startled eyes.
Why, that's too bad. Did your folks
forget?"
Il haven't any folks"
The pity on her face deepened.
I'm sorry for you," she said. Her
little hand pushed the pasteboard box to-
ward him. You shall have the other
piece of cake" Then her face frightened
Couldn't you buy some presents for
yourself?"
He shook his head.
NO" he answered. Il don't believe 1
could
Her glance fell on the half-eaten apple
and the crackers
Perhaps you are too poor?" she softly
said.
Yes" he answered, 81 am too poor"
Her little heart was touched.
Have you worked here long?" she
asked.
Nearly so years"
Mercy! that's long time" Her quick
glance Travelled over his threadbare suit
Maybe Mr. Ramsey would give you more
wages"
He laughed again.
He seems to think I'm worth only my
board and clothes
Dear, dear! An he's so very rich.
We went by his house once-papa an
mamma an mean it looked so big an
dark. Mamma said she'd just like to have
the care Of 1t for awhile. She'd let in
the air an the sunshine, and drive out
the dust an the gloom an she'd try to
make life really worth lvin' for the lone
ly old man. That's what mamma said.
An papa said he guessed mamma could do
1t If anybody could. You know Mr.
Ramsey. What do you think about it?"
He suddenly laughed.
1T might be an experiment worth try
| ing" he said Then he stared into the
pasteboard box. why. look at this" he
cried; the lunch has all disappeared!
I'm sure ate more than half of 1t. Come,
now, how much do owe your"
Mercy" cried the child, you don't
owe me anythin' couldn't eat It all,
an papa didn't have time. hope you
liked it,"
1T was the best luncheon have eaten
for years." said the old man.
I'm member an tell mamma that.