168 Tom Seven Years Old.

choose. Try for a week, and at the end of
that time come to me, and I will pay you.”

“And then,” cried Tom, “I shall run
straight to the poor little girl’s home, and give
the money to her sick father, and say, ‘ Buy
shoes, and stockings, and hats, and dinners
—it’s yours—I’ve earned it for you!’ How
delightful that will be!”

His mamma thought the plan a first-rate
one. That same evening he began to earn
money by going without butter for his tea,
and eating his bread dry. In spite of that, it
tasted very good, for all the time he kept
thinking of the end of the week, when he
should have earned his money, and could
carry it to the poor little girl and her sick
_ father. |

The next morning, as soon as his lessons
were done, Tom ran to the garden to begin
his work, The gardener was also busy at
his, and the sun was shining, and the bees
were humming. At first it was very nice
pulling out the naughty little weeds, and pil-
ing them in a heap on the gravel-walk to be