A good deal of the time they talked about how splendid it was of them to
be so kind to little 'Lias. "My! I don't believe most girls would put
themselves out this way for a dirty little boy!" said Stashie,
complacently.
"No INDEED!" chimed in Betsy. "It's just like a story, isn't it--working
and sacrificing for the poor!"
"I guess he'll thank us all right for sure!" said Ellen. "He'll never
forget us as long as he lives, I don't suppose."
Betsy, her imagination fired by this suggestion, said, "I guess when
he's grown up he'll be telling everybody about how, when he was so poor
and ragged, Stashie Monahan and Ellen Peters and Elizabeth Ann ..."
"And Eliza!" put in that little girl hastily, very much afraid she would
not be given her due share of the glory.
Cousin Ann sewed, and listened, and said nothing.
Toward the end of May two little blouses, two pairs of trousers, two
pairs of stockings, two sets of underwear (contributed by the teacher),
and the pair of shoes Uncle Henry gave were ready. The little girls
handled the pile of new garments with inexpressible pride, and debated
just which way of bestowing them was sufficiently grand to be worthy the
occasion. Betsy was for taking them to school and giving them to 'Lias
one by one, so that each child could have her thanks separately. But
Stashie wanted to take them to the house when 'Lias's stepfather would
be there, and shame him by showing that little girls had had to do what
he ought to have done.
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