“Well, we’ll see what can be done right here,” said Frank, observing that a number of the original crowd had returned and were standing about.
Then he turned to them and said:
“Gentlemen, this girl is blind. She was not born that way, but sustained an injury by a fall that affected the optical nerve. She has been told that her sight might be restored by an operation, and, with her brother, she is trying to get together enough money to pay a specialist to do the work. This she and her brother have just told me, for I never saw either of them before this evening. Now, I am poor, and can afford no luxuries, but I can afford to give a dollar to help this girl recover her sight. I am going to put a dollar in my hat, and then I will pass it round. I hope others will give as much as they can afford.”
He took off his hat and dropped a silver dollar into it. Then, talking in his most pleasant and persuasive manner, he went round with the hat.
Every person present gave something. One old Irishwoman threw in a dime, saying:
“Thot’s arl Oi have, an’ Oi wish it wur a hoondred dollars, so Oi do! Me ould marn sint me out fer a can av beer, but it’s warther he’ll have ter drink to-noight, an’ it’s jist as much good it’ll be afther doin’ av him. God bliss th’ dear girrul’s swate hearrut! an’ it’s bloind she is? An’ she can’t see th’ skoy an’ th’ birruds an’ th’ flowers? An’ it’s me own litthle b’y as is dead now pwhat wur borrun thot way, an’ he uster be afther axin’ me pwhat things looked loike, an’ now he’s gone foriver where he can see. It’s ounly tin cints, a dhrop in th’ bucket, but it will do th’ dear, swate girrul more good thot way than it’ll do me ould marn roonin’ down his throat, bad cess to th’ lazy dog!”
Then she turned and hobbled away in a hurry.
Her example led many of the others to give with the greatest liberality, and when the money was counted and passed over to little Nell, Frank announced that six dollars and eighteen cents had been received.
The blind girl held out her hands to the crowd, laughing even as the tears streamed down her face, and brokenly said:
“Oh! I thank you all so much—so much! You have been so kind to me! It will be such a help!”