When their petition was presented, Miss Belden, who sat near
Willie, said, "Well done! Willie."
"But I protest," said Mrs. Puffer--who was of about as handsome a figure
as her son--"I protest against such an outrage on the children. My
Tommy's been a-feeling bad about it all day. It'll break his heart if he
don't get some candy."
Willie was shy, but for a moment he forgot it, and, turning his
intelligent blue eyes on Mrs. Puffer, he said--
"It will break Mrs. Martin's heart if her children are taken away from
her."
"Well," said Mrs. Puffer, "I always did hear that the preacher's boy was
the worst in the parish, and I won't take any impudence. My son will join
the Mission School, where they aren't too stingy to give him a bit of
candy!" And Mrs. Puffer left, and everybody was pleased.
Willie got the money; but the teachers had counted on making up their
festival mostly with cakes and other dainties, contributed by families.
So that the candy money was only sixteen dollars, and Willie was yet a
long way off from having the amount he needed. Twenty-four dollars were
yet wanting.
VII.
THE WIDOW AND THE FATHERLESS.
The husband of Widow Martin had been killed by a railroad accident.
Pages:
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60