I
started up, and kissing him, said, with the ardor of a pleased
girl--
"What a dear good father you are!"
The return was ample. He always seemed most pleased when he could
gratify some wish or supply some want of his children. Ah! if we had
been less selfish--less exacting!
It was hardly to be expected that my sisters would see me the
possessor of a hundred-dollar shawl, and not desire a like addition
to their wardrobes.
"I want a hundred dollars," said my sister Jane, on the next
morning, as my father was about leaving for his store.
"Can't spare it to-day, my child," I heard him answer, kindly, but
firmly.
"Oh, but I must have it," urged my sister.
"I gave you twenty-five dollars only day before yesterday," my
father replied to this. "What have you done with that?"
"Spent it for gloves and laces," said Jane, in a light way, as if
the sum were of the smallest possible consequence.
"I am not made of money, child." The tone of my father's voice
struck me as unusually sober--almost sad. But Jane replied
instantly, and with something of reproach and complaint in her
tones--"I shouldn't think you were, if you find it so hard to part
with a hundred dollars."
"I have a large payment to make to-day"--my father spoke with
unusual decision of manner--"and shall need every dollar that I can
raise."
"You gave sister a hundred dollars yesterday," said Jane, almost
petulantly.
Pages:
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127