Among the presents which Lu found on her tenth birthday was a pretty red plush purse with a steel clasp and chain, just like mamma’s, only much smaller. In it were ten bright new cents, that being the sum Lu received each week to spend as she liked. She enjoyed all her gifts very much; but this one seemed to please her even more than the French doll in blue silk, the pearl ring, or "Alice in Wonderland,"--three things which she had wanted for a long time. "It is _so_ cunning, and the snap makes such a loud noise, and the chain is so nice on my arm, and the plush so red and soft, I can’t help loving my dear little purse. I shall spend all the money for candy, and eat it every bit myself, because it is my birthday, and I must celebrate it," said Lu, as she hovered like a bee round a honey-pot about the table where the gifts were spread. Now she was in a great hurry to go out shopping, with the new purse proudly carried in her small fat hand. Aunty was soon ready, and away they went across the pleasant Park, where the pretty babies were enjoying the last warm days of autumn as they played among the fallen leaves. "You will be ill if you eat ten cents’ worth of candy to-day," said aunty. "I ’ll sprinkle it along through the day, and eat each kind seppyrut; then they won’t intersturb me, I am sure," answered Lu, who still used funny words, and always got _interrupt_ and _disturb_ rather mixed. Just then a poor man who had lost his legs came creeping along with a tray of little flower-pots to sell. "Only five cents, miss. Help an unfortnit man, please, mum." "Let me buy one for my baby-house. It would be sweet. Cora Pinky May would love to have that darling little rose in her best parlor," cried Lu, thinking of the fine new doll. Aunty much preferred to help the poor man than to buy candy, so the flower-pot was soon bought, though the "red, red rose" was unlike any ever seen in a garden. "Now I ’ll have five cents for my treat, and no danger of being ill," said Lu, as they went on again. But in a few moments a new beggar appeared, and Lu’s tender heart would not let her pass the old woman without dropping two of her bright cents in the tin cup. "Do come to the candy-place at once, or I never shall get any," begged Lu, as the red purse grew lighter and lighter every minute. Three sticks of candy were all she could buy, but she felt that she could celebrate the birthday on that, and was ready to go home and begin at once. As they went on to get some flowers to dress the cake at tea-time, Lu suddenly stopped short, lifted both hands, and cried out in a tone of despair,-- "My purse! my purse! I ’ve lost it. Oh, I ’ve lost it!" "Left it in the store probably. Come and look for it," said aunty; and back they turned, just in time to meet a shabby little girl running after them with the precious thing in her hand. "Ain’t this yours? I thought you dropped it, and would hate to lose it," she said, smiling pleasantly.