"How lovely the dirty little dears are!" she added, in the next
wave of emotion. One bold fellow of six showed a half-length above the
bushes, and she asked: "Don't you know that you oughtn't to play in the
road when there are so many teams passing? Are all those your brothers and
sisters?"
He ignored the first question. "One's my cousin." I pulled out a
half-dozen coppers, and held my hand toward him. "See if there is one
for each." They had no difficulty in solving the simple mathematical
problem except the smallest girl, who cried for fear and baffled longing.
I tossed the coin to her, and a little fat dog darted out at her feet and
caught it up in his mouth. "Oh, good gracious!" I called out in my light,
humorous way. "Do you suppose he's going to spend it for candy?" The
little people thought that a famous joke, and they laughed with the
gratitude that even small favors inspire. "Bring your sister here," I said
to the boldest boy, and, when he came up with the little woman, I put
another copper into her hand. "Look out that the greedy dog doesn't get
it," I said, and my gayety met with fresh applause. "Where do you live?" I
asked, with some vague purpose of showing the Altrurian the kindliness
that exists between our upper and lower classes.
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