"Yes, dear."
"And, mamma, you know he likes the inside of peach-stones in the preserves."
"The kernel, you mean."
"Yes'm, and last summer Harry kept all the peach-stones and cracked them for you, and you paid him for them. Could you let me do it this time?"
"My darling, you would crack those little fingers; it is too hard work for you."
Bessie looked very much disappointed, and her mother could not bear to see 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 Patrick shall crack them for you, and I will pay you five cents for every hundred."
"Oh! thank you, mamma; that is very nice, and I will put away every one I can find."
And from this day it was quite amusing to their papa and mamma to see how carefully Maggie and Bessie guarded every peach-stone they could find; and to hear them constantly talking over plans to gain a few pennies to add to their store.
"Margaret," said Mr. Bradford to his wife that evening, "would it not be better for you to lock up that money-box of the children?"