Girls -- Juvenile fiction; World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
She had never thought much about money. She knew some people were very
poor--she had often felt sorry for them as she watched them near the
Square in New York. And she knew some were very rich, for Aunt
Josephine talked of them. She had always had all the money she wanted,
because she had never wanted very much. She supposed Peggy and the
others had all they wanted, too. Each week Mr. Lee gave to each one of
them a small allowance and whenever they managed to save anything from
this each of them put it in her bank. Keineth supposed that the Lees
were not as rich as Aunt Josephine and not as poor as Francesca's
family next door to her old home, but it didn't seem to matter at all,
because she did not think that the Lees wanted to be rich, anyway. They
never talked of anything in terms of dollars and cents! Twenty-five
dollars--that seemed enough to Keineth to buy everything anyone could
want!
Keineth and Peggy had carefully kept the precious secret of the "Castle
of Dreams." For a few weeks they had watched the mail each day, then
the holiday fun had filled their minds and the secret was forgotten. As
the weeks passed and Keineth heard nothing she had almost given up all
hope of selling her music and her great ambitions had taken a sad fall.
Peggy had urged her to consult her music master about it, but after one
or two attempts Keineth found she had not the courage.
And now a check had come! Twenty-five whole dollars!
"Peggy! Peggy!" she called, unable to wait one moment to share the good
news.
It was a very excited family that listened to their story at dinner
time. Even Billy, red-eyed, forgot his own sorrow. Everyone had to hold
the check and read it! Then each one suggested some way for Keineth to
spend her money!
And as is the way with all fortunes, sooner or later they become a
burden! Already, even while they made merry over the check, Keineth was
beginning to worry as to what she should do with it! Of course Mr. Lee
had advised her putting it in the bank, but that did not seem like much
fun! If Daddy were at home she would buy something for him with it or
she might send it to Tante to help the poor children that were
suffering from the war.
"Give it to the Red Cross!" Peggy suggested grandly.
"Buy a bicycle!" said Alice, "or one of those cunning electric stoves
that we can cook on!"
"If I had it I'd buy Pilot!" put in Billy sadly.
"I'd like to do something with it," said Keineth slowly, "that would
make somebody just awfully happy, because--" She looked down the length
of the table and realized suddenly how dear to her these Lees had grown
and what this home was to her. "Because I'm so happy here!"
And even while she was speaking she decided just what she would do! But
she would tell no one, not even Peggy!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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