how much cash each one had laid aside, to be used for spending money
on such occasions as Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and Training day.

"For my part," said Mike, "I would rather never spend another cent for
sugar plums in my life, than to have the soldiers go barefoot on the
snow. I tell you what it is, fellow-countrymen--(Mr. Marble was
observed by the chairman to bite his lips, to keep in a good round
laugh, when those words, _fellow-countrymen_, came out)--I tell you
what it is, the things that are wanted now are boots, and shoes, and
stockings, and jackets--and not gingerbread, and sugar plums, and
spruce beer, and gimcracks of that kind."

When the little patriots came to count up their money, they found it
amounted to more than ten dollars. And it was none of your paltry
continental stuff. It was all made up of good hard silver and copper.

The next thing they did was to appoint a treasurer, to take charge of
the money, and to see that it was paid over to Washington's agent, who
was to be instructed to pay it all out in shoes. And that was not all
these young statesmen did. They resolved that they would give to the
army every cent of all the spending money they might get, as long as
the war lasted. Didn't they do their work pretty well, my little lad?
I think they did. They did what they could. La Fayette and Washington
did no more. You will smile when I tell you one thing which was
proposed that evening. One of the boys thought it would be a good plan
to turn over to the poor soldiers all the stockings and shoes
belonging to the assembly. He thought they could get along better
walking on the snow with their bare feet, than the troops could. But
some one, with a little more forethought than this generous-hearted
speaker, suggested that the soldiers at Valley Forge would find it
difficult to get on such stockings and shoes as the Blue Hill boys had
to bestow. So that scheme failed. But it shows what stuff those lads
were made of. It shows what kind, generous, noble, self-denying hearts
beat in their bosoms.

I declare to you I am more than ever proud of my native land, when I
think what our ancestors did, in old times, to obtain our freedom for
us. God grant that we may know how to value our blessings, that we may
ever be thankful for them, and that we may not abuse the liberty that
has been given to us. I do not want my young readers to grow up, with
their hearts full of the spirit of war. I love peace more