|
American History Stories, Volume IV |
by Mara L. Pratt |
Stories of the great conflict from the time Lincoln became president and the southern states seceded, through the battles of Bull Run, Shiloh, Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, until the close of the war. Includes poems, songs, and illustrations commemorating the events. Ages 8-12 | 197 pages |
$9.95 |
|
|
LILLIE'S FIVE-DOLLAR GOLD PIECE
A lady at the head of one of these relief societies tells
this story:
A little girl not nine years old, with sweet and timid
grace, came into the rooms, and laying a five-dollar gold
piece on our desk, half frightened, told us its history. "My
uncle gave me that before the war, and I was going to keep
it always; but he's got killed in the army, and mother says
now I may give it to the soldiers if I want to—and I'd like
to do so. I don't suppose it will buy much for them, will
[106] it?" We led the child to the store-room, and showed her
how valuable her gift was, by pointing out what it would
buy—so many cans of milk, or so many bottles of ale, or
pounds of tea, or codfish, etc. Her face brightened with
pleasure. But when we explained to her that her
five-dollar gold piece was equal to seven dollars and a half
in greenbacks, and told her how much comfort we could carry into
a hospital, with the stores that sum would buy, she fairly
danced with joy.
"Oh, it will do lots of good, won't it?" And folding
her hands before her, she begged, in her charmingly modest
way, "Please tell me something that you've seen in the
hospitals?"
We told her a few little stories—taking care to tell this
little child nothing of the horrors of hospital life and
death.
Then with tears in her eyes, she said, "Lady, I am going
to save every single penny I have for the soldiers; and I'm
going to ask all the little girls I know to save theirs, too."
Dear Little Lillie! Who can tell what a world of good her
five-dollar gold piece with all her love behind it, did for
some poor soldier.
![[Illustration]](http://www.gatewaytotheclassics.com/thumbnails/treadwell_fourth.jpg) |
Hundreds of additional titles available for
online reading when you join Gateway to the Classics
|
![[Illustration]](http://www.gatewaytotheclassics.com/thumbnails/comstock_insects.jpg) |
|
|