Page:Samantha on Children's Rights.djvu/274

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posies of the same color in her belt and bosom, white gloves and a white fan completed her pretty costoom. I wuz glad enough to see she, too, had come as herself, and so had Thomas J. come as himself. She bought a number of articles, and Thomas J. did, too.

But when I told them of my misgivin's about the sudden wealth settin' up the Heathen too much, and wished that I could talk to him a spell about the vanity of riches and the needecessity of his behavin' himself as he ort to under his sudden change of fortune, Thomas J. said, "No need to worry, Mother, the Heathen won't git enough out of this to hurt his character." And he sez, when I commented on the fairy-like beauty of the seen:

"Yes, it is quite a change from a seen I witnessed today in Jonesville" (he is real charitable, Thomas J. is). "I found a family starving, Mother, really suffering for food—think of that, not five miles from here. The father and mother sick with fever, the children too young to work, they were too proud to beg, but at last they did send for me; I used to know the man. And Maggie and I carried enough to them for the present, and I sent for the doctor. We must all take hold and help them out, Mother, they are deserving and honest."

And I told him warmly that I would. I would carry them a sack of flour and some butter and meat in the morning.

And Josiah sez, "Half a sack will do, won't it? They can't bake."

And I sez, "You are right, Josiah, I will bake the bread and carry to them, and cook the meat."

And Thomas J. resoomed, "Right round this very place, Mother, within five miles, I will find you fifty