Elsie at the World's Fair by Martha Finley
page 104 of 207 (50%)
page 104 of 207 (50%)
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tenderly solicitous tones if she were feeling perfectly well, adding: "I
fear I have allowed you to exert yourself too much in the past few days, my darling." "I don't know whether or not I have gone about too much, papa, but it was very kind in you to let me," she replied, laying her head on his shoulder, for they were sitting side by side on a sofa in the cabin, while the others had all gone up to the deck, "but oh, I can't forget those poor men who perished in the flames yesterday, or their wives and children, perhaps left very poor and helpless. Papa, if you are willing, I'd like to give all my pocket money to help them. My own dear father pays my way all the time and I don't need to buy any of the fine things I see for sale here and there." "My dear child," he said, with emotion, "you may do just as you please about that. I am very glad that my little girl is so willing to deny herself to help others, and I must tell you for your comfort that a good deal of money has already been raised for the benefit of those sadly bereaved ones." "You gave some, papa? Oh, I know you did!" "Yes, daughter, I gave out of the abundance of means which God has put into my hands, certainly not that it may all be spent upon myself and dearest ones, but entrusted to me that some of it may be used for the relief of suffering humanity; and it is a very great pleasure--an inestimable privilege--to be permitted thus to ally to some extent the woes of poverty and bereavement." "Yes, papa; I feel it so, and am thankful that you approve of my doing |
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