"for people are always dropping
pins."

"I've got any quantity of scrip," pursued Jennie; "and I don't have to
work for it, either."

"O, dear," thought Dotty, "what's the use to be good? I 'sposed if I
gave away my money _cheerfully_, they'd all feel ashamed of themselves;
but they don't! I wish I had it back in my box, I do!"

CHAPTER II.

PLAYING KING AND QUEEN.

"What are you hunting for on your hands and knees, Alice?" said
grandmamma, next day.

"O, nothing, only pins, grandma; but I can't find any. Isn't this a
_hidden-mist_ carpet?"

"No, dear; a _hit-and-miss_ carpet is made of rags. But what do you want
of pins?"

"She has given away what Aunt Ria paid her for Christmas," said Prudy,
speaking for her; "she gave it all to the beggar."

"Yes, she did; one, two, free, four, nineteen, tenteen," said Katie;
"and the gemplum didn't love little goorls."

"Why, Alice! to that man who was here yesterday?"

Dotty was frowning at Prudy behind a chair. "Yes, 'm," she answered, in
a stifled voice.

"Were you sorry for him?"

"No, ma'am."

"Did you hear me say I did not believe he was in need of charity?"

"Yes, 'm."

Grandma looked puzzled, till she remembered that Alice had always been
fond of praise; and then she began to understand her motives.

"Did you suppose Jennie Vance and your sisters would think you were
generous?" asked she, in a low voice.

Dotty looked at the carpet, but made no reply.

"Because, if that was your reason, Alice, it was doing 'your alms
before men, to be seen of them.' God is not pleased when you do so. I
told you about that the other day."

Still the little girl did not understand. Her thoughts were like these:

"Grandma thinks I'm ever so silly! Prudy thinks I'm silly! But isn't
Jennie silly too? And O, she takes cake, all secret, out of her new
mother's tin chest. I don't know what will become of Jennie Vance."

Mrs. Parlin was about to say more, when Miss Flyaway, who had been all
over the house in two minutes, danced in, saying, "the Charlie boy" had
come!

It was little lisping Charlie Gray, saying, "If you pleathe, 'm, may we
have the Deacon to go to mill? And then, if we may, can you thpare uth a
quart 'o milk every thingle night? Cauthe, if you can't, then you
muthn't."

Deacon was the old horse; and as Mr. Parlin was quite willing he should
go to mill, Harry Gray came an hour afterwards and led him away. With
regard to the other request, Mrs.