Lame Betsey gave me something to put on my wrist that cured it. I went
there to ask how much money must be paid. I had sold my football, and my
brass sword, and my pocket-book. They told me they should not take any
money, but if I would saw some wood for them, and do an errand now and
then, they should be very glad. When I told Dorry, he threw up his hat,
and called out, “Three cheers for the ‘Two Betseys.’” And when his hat
came down, he picked it up and passed it round; “for,” says he, “we all
owe them something.” One great boy dropped fifty cents in. And it all
came to about four dollars. And Bubby Short carried it to them. But I
shall saw some wood for them all the same.
Last evening it was rainy. A good many boys came into our room, and we
sat in a row, and every one said some verses, or told a riddle. These
two verses I send for Aunt Phebe’s little Tommy to learn. I guess he’s
done saying “Fishy, fishy in the brook” by this time, Dorry said he got
them out of the German.
“When you are rich,
You can ride with a span;
But when you are poor,
You must go as you can.
“Better honest and poor,
And go as you can,
Than rich and a rogue,
And ride with a span.”
This riddle was too hard for me to guess. But Aunt Phebe’s girls like to
guess riddles, and I will send it to them. Mr. Augustus says that a
soldier made it in a Rebel prison. Mr. Augustus is a tall boy, that
knows a good deal, and wears spectacles, and that’s why we call him Mr.
Augustus.