THE REWARD
Mr. Butler was just coming back from his work as Peggy reached the gate
of his house.
"I've got him," she called triumphantly.
"Bless my soul!" said the old man. "Have you been waiting for him all
this time?"
"Yes," said Peggy
"What a patient little girl you are."
He put his hand in his trousers' pocket and pulled out a roll of bills.
He looked them over until he came to a crisp, new, five-dollar bill
which he handed to Peggy.
Peggy ran all the way home, with the five-dollar bill clasped in her
hand. She had never once thought of the money while she was watching the
canary. He was so beautiful, with his yellow feathers against the
branches of the tree, with the blue sky above him, and his song was so
wonderful, that she had not thought about any reward. But now that she
had the money, she felt as if some one had given her a fortune, for she
had never had so much money at once, in all her short life. Now she
could get the hat, for it did not cost nearly five dollars; and there
would be some money left to buy--what should she buy? Something for
Alice and her mother.
"Oh, mother," she said, as she burst into the room, "I got him, and see
what Mr. Butler gave me! Now I can get my new hat!"
"You don't mean to say you took money for doing a kindness?" said Mrs.
Owen.
"He gave it to me," said Peggy.
"Yes, so I understood, but, my dear little girl, the Butlers haven't any
more money than we have. They are poor people. Five dollars means a
great deal to them."
"He seemed to want to give it to me," said Peggy.
"That was very kind, but you ought to have said, 'I didn't think of the
reward. I shouldn't feel it right to be paid for doing a kindness. I am
sure my mother wouldn't want me to keep the money.'"
"But I never thought about you. Truly, mother, you never once came into
my head. And I did not think it was being paid. I thought it was kind of
a thank-offering."
"Well, we'll take the money back as soon as supper is over," said Mrs.
Owen.
Peggy ate her supper in silence. She was sure her mother could not know
how much she wanted the new hat. And to think she felt so sure of having
it, and then to have it snatched away was hard! And she was afraid Mr.
Butler's feelings would be hurt; for she was sure he did not think of a
reward, but a thank-offering.
After supper Mrs. Owen and the two children went down the street to Mrs.
Butler's house. It was pleasant to see the canary-bird in his cage in
the window. He was silent, as if he were tired out with the excitement
of the day. Peggy felt tired, too, and she thought, "If I were only the
kind of little girl who cried, I should cry now, because I am so
disappointed about the hat."
Mrs. Butler's daughter Flora had just come in from the milliner's shop.
She was wearing a pretty hat, with a wreath of wild roses around it.
"Well, Peggy, I hear you have found the most important member of the
family," said Flora. "I'm sure they wouldn't take on half so bad if I
was lost."
"I guess you could find your way home if you were lost," said Peggy.
They begged Mrs. Owen and the children to sit down and have supper with
them.
"Thank you, but we have had our supper," said Mrs. Owen. "I only came
down for a minute, just to say how good you were to give my little girl
the five dollars, but I could not let her keep it. I don't want her to
feel she is to be benefited in any other way when she does a kindness,
except having the pleasure that comes from helping somebody."
"I thought I'd like to have the pleasure of helping somebody," said Mr.
Butler. "I offered the reward, and she seemed real pleased to get it."
"Of course, she was pleased," said Peggy's mother. "But I am sure it was
not the idea of the reward that started her out to find the canary. So,
if you please, Mr. Butler,"--and Mrs. Owen handed him the five-dollar
bill as she spoke,--"I'd rather you kept this. We've always been good
friends and neighbors, and I am glad if my little girl has been able to
help you, and sometime, I am sure, you and Mrs. Butler will be ready to
help me."
Mrs. Butler had been watching Peggy's face. She saw she was sorry not to
have the money, and she shrewdly guessed there was something she wanted
very much that the five dollars would buy.
"I see just the way your ma feels," said Mrs. Butler, "but it does seem
as if Sol might make you a little present. Can you think of anything you
would like?"
"Yes," said Peggy promptly, "the hat in the milliner's window with the
ribbon with the blue edge."
"My dear little girl--?" began Mrs. Owen.
"That is just the thing," said Mrs. Butler. "I'm sure Sol will be real
pleased to give it to you."
Mrs. Owen was about to say it was too much of a present, but she looked
at Peggy's shining eyes and then at Mrs. Butler's beaming face. Who was
she to stand out against these two? If it were indeed more blessed to
give than to receive, Mr. and Mrs. Butler were getting their reward.
So the next day a paper box arrived at the Owens' door for "Miss Peggy
Owen, with the compliments and gratitude of her friend Sol."
Oh, joy of joys! It was the hat. Peggy tried it on, and it was even
nicer than she had thought, for it was so light, and it had such a good
brim. She went down that very afternoon to make a special call on Mrs.
Butler and Sol; and the canary sang again his melodious song.