“We mustn’t offer her any money,” said the Story Girl. “She’s very indignant when any one does that. She says she isn’t a beggar. But she’ll take anything else. I shall give her my string of blue beads. She’s fond of finery.”
“I’ll give her that sponge cake I made this morning,” said Felicity. “I guess she doesn’t get sponge cake very often.”
“I’ve nothing but the rheumatism ring I got as a premium for selling needles last winter,” said Peter. “I’ll give her that. Even if she hasn’t got rheumatism it’s a real handsome ring. It looks like solid gold.”
“I’ll give her a roll of peppermint candy,” said Felix.
“I’ll give one of those little jars of cherry preserve I made,” said Cecily.
“I won’t go near her,” quavered Sara Ray, “but I want to do something for Pat, and I’ll send that piece of apple leaf lace I knit last week.”
I decided to give the redoubtable Peg some apples from my birthday tree, and Dan declared he would give her a plug of tobacco.
“Oh, won’t she be insulted?” exclaimed Felix, rather horrified.
“Naw,” grinned Dan. “Peg chews tobacco like a man. She’d rather have it than your rubbishy peppermints, I can tell you. I’ll run down to old Mrs. Sampson’s and get a plug.”
“Now, we must write the letter and take it and the presents to her right away, before it gets dark,” said the Story Girl.