UTH.--What is the price?

EMILY.--Only two cents a pair.

RUTH.--Then you may give me three pairs. Here are six cents. (_Takes out
her purse, and pays_ EMILY, _but, in putting it back, lets it fall on
the ground._)

EMILY.--Thank you; and a merry Christmas to you!

RUTH.--I wish I could make your Christmas a merry one, poor child; but I
have done what I could. Good-by. (_Goes out._)

EMILY.--Oh, if more such customers would come along, how glad I should
be! Will any one buy a nice pair of shoestrings? (_Sees the purse, and
picks it up._) What is this on the ground? A purse! And it has money in
it. One dollar, three dollars--Dear me! That young lady must have
dropped it. I must run and give it to her. Where is she? (_Puts down her
basket, and goes out._)

(MARY _enters, and looks at the basket._)

MARY.--A basket on the sidewalk! What does it mean? (_Takes it up._) It
is full of shoestrings. I will take it to my mother, and ask her to
find the owner. (MARY _takes up the basket, and is going out, when_ RUTH
_enters._)

RUTH.--Are you the girl I bought shoestrings of?

MARY.--No: I have not sold any. These are not mine.

RUTH.--Have you seen any thing of a purse about here?

MARY.--No: I have seen no purse. (_Goes off-with the basket._)

RUTH.--- Oh! here comes the little girl I was looking for; and she has
my purse in her hand. (_Enter_ EMILY.) That is my purse, little girl.

EMILY (_giving_ RUTH _the purse_).--Take it. I was looking for you. But
where is my basket of shoestrings?

RUTH.--Why, that little girl yonder has it. See her there, crossing the
street.

EMILY.--It is my basket. She has taken what does not belong to her.

RUTH.--Run, and bring her to me. (EMILY _starts to go out._) Stop! What
is your name?

EMILY.--Emily Swift.

RUTH.--Well, Emily Swift, I think you are mistaken in supposing that the
little girl meant to steal your basket. Bring her to me. (EMILY _goes
out._) What a pleasant thing it would be to have a purse so full, that
one could keep on giving from it, and never find it empty! But here come
the children.

(EMILY _leads in_ MARY).

EMILY.--Here she is. She says she was taking the basket to her mother,
so that her mother might find the owner.

RUTH.--And do you doubt her word?

EMILY.--Doubt her word? Not I! She is too good a little girl to tell a
falsehood. Just look in her face, and you will see that she speaks the
truth.

RUTH.--Yes, Emily Swift, you are right.