Loammi had a high idea of his personal qualities and social standing. But he had one grievance.
He received an allowance from his father, but it was much less than he thought he needed. Ezra Little was not a liberal man. He gave Loammi a dollar every Saturday night, and obstinately refused to give him more.
"It is very hard to get along on a dollar, pa," complained Loammi.
"When I was your age I had no allowance at all, my son."
"You were a poor boy. You were not expected to keep up appearances."
"You have no clothes to buy. I provide for you in that respect, and I think you are as well dressed as most of the boys you associate with."
"I don't complain of my clothes, but a boy wants to keep up his end with his school friends. Yesterday afternoon, Henry Bates proposed to me to go in and get an ice cream, but I couldn't, for I had no money."
"Have you spent all your weekly allowance?"
"Yes, every cent."
"Yet it is only Wednesday."