Bessie in the City Page 2

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  II.

  _MAGGIE'S PLAN._

  MAGGIE thought of her "plan" again as soon as she reached home, andshe and Bessie scampered away to their mamma's room to see if she wereready to attend to them. She was dressing for dinner, and so they knewthey might go in and talk to her, for she said this was "Maggie's andBessie's hour," and as she dressed, used to tell them stories, or teachthem some pretty verses, or listen to them if they had anything to tellher.

  "Mamma," said Maggie, "have you thought of any way that I can earnmoney?"

  "You must tell me what it is wanted for, Maggie."

  "We want to buy a library, mamma."

  "What library, dear?"

  "A mission library, mamma. You know my Sunday-school teacher, MissWinslow, is going to marry a missionary; but he is not a heathenmissionary."

  "I hope not," said Mrs. Bradford, smiling. "You mean, I suppose, thathe is not going to India to teach the heathen, but is what is called ahome missionary."

  "Yes, ma'am, that is it. Mrs. Rush says that he is going far out West,where the people have very few churches or Sunday-schools and scarcelyany books, and they are very ignorant, and don't know much about Godor how Jesus came to die for them, and I am afraid Miss Winslow wontbe very comfortable out there, mamma, 'cause they don't have nicehouses like ours, but just rough ones made of logs, which they call logcabins. You know Miss Winslow is a lady, and I am afraid she wont liketo live in a place like that."

  "Miss Winslow has thought of all that, my darling; but she is willingto put up with these hardships for the sake of carrying the gladmessage of salvation to those poor people."

  "Yes, mamma, and Mrs. Rush says that most of them are very glad tohear it, and so glad to have the books the missionaries bring, and Mr.Long, the gentleman Miss Winslow is to marry, is going to try and havesome Sunday-schools for the children who live in log cabins; and theother day, when Mrs. Rush was talking to us about having the littleclass in her room on Sunday, she asked us if we would not like to buy aSunday-school library to send to those poor little children, when MissWinslow and her missionary go out there. You can buy a nice littlelibrary for ten dollars, mamma; just think, ten dollars!"

  "Yes, I know, Maggie; but ten dollars is a great deal of money for twosuch little girls as you and Bessie to raise in less than four months.Miss Winslow is to leave soon after the first of January, and this isnow the tenth of September."

  "But Bessie and I are not to do it by ourselves, mamma. Gracie Howardand Lily Norris are to help; it is to come from the class, and Mrs.Rush says if we cannot do it alone, she will help us; but she thinksthe little log-cabin children will like it better if they hear it wasall sent by other little children here, and we would like it betterourselves."

  "And Gracie and Lily are going to try and earn money too?" asked Mrs.Bradford.

  "They have their share, mamma. Gracie's grandmamma, who lives inEngland, always sends her some money on her birthday,--a--a--I forgetwhat she calls it, but she says it is as much as five dollars."

  "A pound?" said Mrs. Bradford.

  "Yes'm, that is it. Gracie says she will give half of the money hergrandmamma sent the other day, and Lily has a hundred dollars in herfather's bank, and he pays her money 'cause she has it there."

  "That is called paying interest," said Mrs. Bradford.

  "And she has some of that saved up," said Maggie, "and she will havemore before Christmas; so her share will be ready too; but Bessie andI have no money except our six cents a week, and that, you know, wepromised to spend another way. And we don't want to be helped, mamma,but to try and earn the money by ourselves, if we only knew how. Doyou not think it is a very nice plan, and that the log-cabin childrenwill be very glad when they see the books?"

  "I think it a very good plan, dear, and I will try to help you. Youknow, Maggie, we were saying this morning that you were still notquite as careful as you might be. Now I do not much like to _pay_ youfor trying to break yourself of a bad habit, but as this is for agood purpose, I will tell you what I will do. Every month between nowand January, I will put by a dollar for your gloves and boot-laces.This is much more than enough to keep you well supplied, if you takeproper care of them, but if you keep on losing your gloves, breakingyour boot-laces, and so forth, as you do now, you will have none leftfor any other purpose. And remember, I cannot let you do without suchlittle things as you may need, for the sake of the library. I cannothave you going without gloves, or with such as are torn or out at thefingers, or with broken or knotted shoe-strings. I must still keep youneat, and shall buy for you whatever I may think necessary. But if youcare enough, as I hope you do, for the little Western children to bethoughtful and saving, you may still keep as much of this money as willgo a good way toward your share of the ten dollars."

  "And am I to have money put by for me, too, mamma?" asked Bessie.

  "Yes, dear, if you wish it, I will do the same for you."

  Maggie did not look as pleased as her mother had thought she would.

  "What is it, Maggie?" she asked. "Does not this please you? Are you notwilling to try both to help those little children, and to cure your ownfault at the same time?"

  "Oh, yes'm, I am willing, and I think you are very kind. But Bessiewill keep a great deal more money than I shall. You know you said theother day that I had three pairs of gloves where Bessie had one."

  "Never mind, Maggie," said Bessie, "I think I'll lose a few gloves."

  "No, no," said Mrs. Bradford, laughing and shaking her head,--"no, no,that will not do. I cannot have one little sister trying to destroy orlose her things in order that she may be no better off than the other.And I am quite sure my Maggie would not be envious if Bessie saved morethan she did."

  "But I may say I will not give more money than Maggie does for thelibrary; may I not, mamma? You know it is more hers than mine, 'causeshe was Miss Winslow's scholar."

  "You may do just as you please about that, dear. Each one may give asmuch or as little as she likes, if it is fairly earned or saved. AndI can put Maggie in the way of earning money by work if she wishes forit."

  "How, mamma?" asked Maggie, eagerly.

  "I have several dozens of towels to be hemmed, and I intended that Janeshould do them all; but I will keep out one dozen for you, and willpay you five cents apiece. And they must be done, not at your regularsewing lesson, but at other times."

  Now if there was one thing more than another which Maggie disliked, itwas sewing. She always called the half-hour during which her mothertaught her to sew "the worst time of the day." It was strange, too,for she had quick and skilful fingers, and sewed remarkably well for alittle girl of seven, and people generally like to do that which theydo well. But it was not so with Maggie, and her face grew very soberwhen her mother said she might hem her towels.

  "But, mamma," she said.

  "Well, dear?"

  "Mamma, you know I cannot bear to sew. I do so _hate_ it! And a dozentowels,--that means twelve, don't it?--why, I should never, never havethem done."

  "It shall be just as you choose, dear. I do not say you _must_ do them,only that you may. But, Maggie, we can seldom do much good to otherswithout taking some trouble or using some self-denial ourselves."

  "I do not know what self-denial is, mamma."

  "Self-denial is to give up something we would like to have, or perhapsto do something that is disagreeable or troublesome to ourselves,for the sake of another. This morning I gave you two plums,--one foryourself, one for Bessie. One was much larger than the other, and Isaw that you gave it to Bessie, keeping the smaller one for yourself.That was self-denial."

  "But, mamma," said Maggie, "that was not anything much. I could not dosuch a greedy thing as to give my own Bessie the little plum and eatthe big one myself. I would be too ashamed."

  "I am glad to say that neither of my little girls is greedy orselfish," said mamma. "Do you remember the day at Quam Beach when yourhead was hurt, and Tom Norris came up to read a new book to yo
u?"

  "Oh, yes'm, it was so kind of him; and he read 'most all the afternoon."

  "When he was on his way to our house, Mr. Howard met him and asked himto go with him to see the wreck, but although Tom had been wishing verymuch to go, he refused because he thought you would like him to comeand read to you. That was self-denial. Mr. Long and Miss Winslow do notlike to leave all their friends and their comfortable homes to go outWest, but they are willing to do it, that they may teach those poorpeople who have no one to tell them of Jesus. That is self-denial. Andif my Maggie were to take her time to hem towels for the sake of thelittle Western children who have no books, that would be self-denial.And there was one great self-denial, greater than any other the worldcan ever see. Do you know what that was, my darling?"

  "When Abraham killed--I mean when he was going to kill Isaac," saidMaggie.

  "Well, there was some self-denial in that," said Mrs. Bradford, "butthat was not what I meant. It was Abraham's great faith in God whichmade him willing to obey his word and sacrifice his only son; butthere was a greater than he, Maggie, who offered a more wonderfulsacrifice."

  "Mamma," said Bessie, "do you mean when Jesus left his heaven and cameto die for us?"

  "Yes, dear; and when we find it hard to give up our own wishes forthe sake of others, let us remember all the dear Saviour has done forus, and that will make the task easier and pleasanter. And the Biblesays, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, yehave done it unto me.' That means that when we are working for Jesus'people, or for his little lambs, we are working for him."

  "And two little lambs can help some other little lambs," said Bessie,as if this thought pleased her very much.

  "Mamma," said Maggie, drawing a long sigh, "I think I'll have aself-denial and hem those towels. How much money will twelve towelsmake?"

  "Twelve towels at five cents apiece will make sixty cents," said Mrs.Bradford; "and perhaps by and by you will find some other way to gainmoney."

  "May I earn money any way I can, mamma?" asked Maggie.

  "I cannot promise that," said mamma, smiling. "You might wish to earnmoney in some way I might not think proper, even for a good purpose."

  "And what can I do, mamma?" asked Bessie. "I want to work too, and Idon't know how to sew."

  "What shall we find for those little hands to do, Maggie?" said mamma,catching the two tiny hands Bessie held up and patting them softlyagainst her own cheeks.

  "Work for those little hands to do?" said papa, who just then came inand heard the last words. "I should think they were at their properwork now,--petting mamma. Papa would not mind coming in for a sharetoo."

  "And so he shall," said Bessie; "but petting you and mamma is niceplay, not work; and these little hands want to be useful, papa."

  "I think they do pretty well for five-year-old hands," said Mr.Bradford, as he sat down and took Bessie on his knee. "They bringpapa's slippers and rock baby's cradle, and sometimes I see them tryingto help mamma when she is busy. I think we may call them rather usefulfor hands of their size."

  "But they want to make money, papa."

  "Ho, ho! that is it; is it? Well, I do not know that they can do muchat that business, or that they could hold any great sum if they madeit. Let us see what they can do in that way;" and putting his hand intohis pocket, Mr. Bradford pulled out a number of bright new pennies."Put out both hands."

  Bessie put her hands together and held them out, while her fathercounted the pennies into them.

  "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven,twelve. There, I think that is as much as they can hold at once," saidMr. Bradford. "Is there another pair of little hands that would like totry if they can do as well?"

  Maggie was standing at her father's knee with a very eager face, forshe knew her turn would come next.

  "One, two, three," began Mr. Bradford, and counted out fifteen penniesinto Maggie's hands. "And now what is to be done with all that money?"he asked, looking from one to another of the bright faces. "It is notto be wasted, I suppose, since mamma seems to be in the secret."

  "We want to buy a library," said Bessie.

  "A library?" said Mr. Bradford. "Well, I'll promise to read every bookin any library you may buy for the next ten years."

  "But it is not a big library with stupid books in, like yours, papa,"said Maggie; "but a nice little one with pretty Sunday-school books;and it is not for ourselves we want it."

  Then papa was told about Mr. Long and Miss Winslow, all of which heknew before, though he listened as though it was quite new to him, andof the plan for the library, which he thought a very good one, and ofwhich he had as yet heard nothing.

  "Mamma," said Maggie, "will you take care of our money for us? I know Ishall lose some of mine if I keep it myself."

  Mrs. Bradford opened a drawer, and took from it a curious little box.It was made of blocks of red and black wood, and had no cover; but if acertain block were pressed, out flew a drawer which moved on a spring.This box had been Mrs. Bradford's when she was a child, and Maggie andBessie thought it a great curiosity.

  "There," said mamma, "put the pennies in this,--fifteen of Maggie's andtwelve of Bessie's make twenty-seven. Pretty well for a beginning. Allthe money you earn may go in this."

  "And the glove money too, mamma?" asked Maggie.

  "No, not the glove money. I shall keep that, and at the end of eachmonth will give you what remains to put in the box."

  "And you will keep it, mamma?"

  "Yes, there it is in the corner of this drawer. You may come and takeit when you want to put anything in it."

  "Papa," said Bessie at dessert that day, "will you please take thefretful off my peach. I can't eat it so."

  Bessie could never bear to eat or even touch a peach unless all thefurze or down which grew upon it had been rubbed off, and the restless,uncomfortable feeling it gave her made her call it "the fretful."

  Mr. Bradford took a peach from his little girl's plate, and as herubbed it smooth, said to his wife, "Margaret, my dear, peaches arevery plenty and very fine, and I, you know, am very fond of peachpreserves."

  "Very well," said Mrs. Bradford, "I will put up as many as you chooseto send home."

  Bessie heard, and a new thought came into her little head.

  "Mamma," she said a while after, when she could speak to her motheralone,--"mamma, you told Papa you would make a great many peachpreserves for him."

  "Yes, dear."

  "And, mamma, you know he likes the inside of peach-stones in thepreserves."

  "The kernel, you mean."

  "Yes'm, and last summer Harry kept all the peach-stones and crackedthem for you, and you paid him for them. Could you let me do it thistime?"

  "My darling, you would crack those little fingers; it is too hard workfor you."

  Bessie looked very much disappointed, and her mother could not bear tosee it, for she knew how anxious she was to earn money for the library.

  "You may gather up the peach-stones, dear, and dry them, and Patrickshall crack them for you, and I will pay you five cents for everyhundred."

  "Oh! thank you, mamma; that is very nice, and I will put away every oneI can find."

  And from this day it was quite amusing to their papa and mamma to seehow carefully Maggie and Bessie guarded every peach-stone they couldfind; and to hear them constantly talking over plans to gain a fewpennies to add to their store.

  "Margaret," said Mr. Bradford to his wife that evening, "would it notbe better for you to lock up that money-box of the children?"

  "I think not," said Mrs. Bradford. "They will want it half a dozentimes a day. You know how such little things are, and they will alwaysbe counting their money. I believe every one we have in the house isquite honest, and the box cannot well be opened by one who does notknow the secret of the spring."

  So the box was not locked up; but the time came when Mrs. Bradford wasvery sorry she had not taken her husband's advice.

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