d as "a poor
woman with a family of children." Susy laughed, and pointed out the word
"woman" to Prudy.

"Why do you smile, little ladies? Isn't it writ right? 'Twas writ by a
lawyer."

"I will carry it in to my grandmother," said Susy; and she entered the
house, followed by all the children.

"Who knows but he's a _griller_?" said Jennie.

"Lem _me_ see paper," cried Katie, snatching at it, and holding it up to
her left ear.

"O, dear!" sighed she, in a grieved tone; "it won't talk to me, Susy. I
don't hear nuffin 'tall."

"She's a cunning baby, so she is," said Dotty. "She s'poses writing
talks to people; she thinks that's the way they read it."

Grandmamma Parlin thought the man was probably an impostor. She went
herself and talked with him; but, when she came back, instead of
searching the closets for old garments, as Dotty had expected, she
seated herself at her sewing, and did not offer to bestow a single
copper on the beggar.

"Susy," said she, "he says he is hungry, and I cannot turn him away
without food. You may spread some bread and butter, with ham between the
slices, and carry out to him."

"What makes her so cruel?" whispered Dotty.

"O, Grandma knows best," replied Prudy. "She never is cruel."

"What makes you put on so much butter?" said Jennie Vance; "I wouldn't
give him a single thing but cold beans."

Dotty, whose Sunday school lesson was all the while ringing in her ears,
looked at the judge's daughter severely.

"Would you pour cold beans into anybody's hands, Jennie Vance? Once my
mamma gave some preserves to a beggar,--quince preserves,--she did."

Jennie only tossed her head.

"I'm going to give him some money," continued Dotty, defiantly; "just as
cheerfully as ever I can."

"O, yes, because he called you the handsomest."

"No, Jennie Vance; because _I_ am not stingy."

"Um isn't stinchy," echoed Katie.

"I've got some Christmas money here. I earned it by picking pins off the
floor, six for a cent. It took a great while, Jennie, but _I_ wouldn't
be selfish, like _some_ little girls."

"Now, little sister," said Prudy, taking Dotty one side, "don't give
your money to this man. You'll be sorry by and by."

But there was a stubborn look in Dotty's eyes, and she marched off to
her money-box as fast as she could go. When she returned with the pieces
of scrip, which amounted in all to fifteen cents, the children were
grouped about the beggar, who sat upon the door-step, the