“Really, children, this is a surprise—a little picture and a bag of money——”
“Yes, you see, ’cause you lived in the country once——” began Doris, while all the others chimed in to explain matters.
“And we all hope you’ll be rich again some day, and if you put the little bag of money in the bank it might be a help in years to come.”
“Yes, and, besides, we might all be real poor ourselves some day, and have no one to help us,” chimed in Willie.
“And we all like you very much for telling us all the nice things about the country, and we’ll never forget you,” said Eva.
“And if you’d rather buy lollies, ’undreds and thousan’s, or anything you like with it, you can,” said Doris.
Then Baby returned from the kitchen, where she had visited Joe, and bowed solemnly to them all, and sent them into shrieks of laughter.
“So I have an unknown friend?” said Miss Gibson, reading the list.
“Yes, it’s Smith, the butcher at Bragan Junction,” cried Willie. “Didn’t know he knew you, did you?”
“Willie, stop at once!” cried Eileen, and then she told the story to Miss Gibson; “and he doesn’t know who the subscription’s for, or nothing about it; it’s just because he’s kind that he gave it, and he wasn’t a bit inquisitive, and if ever I get real rich I’ll send him a nice present,” she continued.