of her Christmas money. The other little girl
shakes her head, and says, 'O, sister what makes you do so? But if you
do it _I_ must.' Then she pours out half her money for the beggar, but
scowls all the while.--Which is the 'cheerful giver?'"

"The first little girl. O, of course, Miss Preston." Then Dotty fell to
thinking:--

"I don't have much to give away but just pieces of oranges; but I don't
scowl when I do it. I'm a great deal more 'cheerful' than Jennie Vance;
for I never saw her give away anything but a thimble after the pig had
chewed it. 'There, take it, Lu Piper,' said she, 'for it pinches, and I
don't want it.' I shouldn't think _that_ was very cheerful, I am sure."

Thus Dotty treasured up the lesson for the sake of her friend. It was
really surprising how anxious she was that Jennie should always do
right.

Now it happened that before the week was out a man came to Mr. Parlin's
back door begging. Dotty wondered if it might not be the same man Miss
Preston had mentioned, only he was in another suit of clothes. She and
Jennie were swinging, with Katie between them, and Susy and Prudy were
playing croquet. They all ran to see what the man wanted. He was not
ragged, and if it had not been for the green shade over his eyes and the
crooked walking-stick in his hand, the children would not have thought
of his being a beggar. He was a very fleshy man, and the walk seemed to
have taken away his breath.

"Little maidens," said he, in gentle tones, "have you anything to give a
poor tired wayfarer?"

There was no answer, for the children did not know what to say. But the
man seemed to know what to do; he seated himself on the door-step, and
wiped his face with a cotton handkerchief. Little Katie, the girl with
flying hair, who was sometimes called 'Flyaway,' looked at him with
surprise as he puffed at every breath.

"When um breeves," said she to Dotty, "seems's um _whissils_."

"Come here, little maiden," said the beggar, pointing to Dotty; "you are
the handsomest of all, and you may take this document of mine. It will
tell you that I am a man of great sorrows."

Dotty, very much flattered, took the paper from his hands. It was greasy
and crumpled, looking as if it had been lying beside bread and butter in
a dirty pocket. She gave it to Susy, for she could not read it herself.
It was written by one of the "selectmen" of a far-away town, and asked
all kind people to take pity on the bearer, who was describe