Page:The Poor Rich Man, and the Rich Poor Man.djvu/37

Rh from the success expedients and infinite ingenuity of the poor.

The practicability of the long-wished-for journey had been announced to Uncle Phil, and they were entering upon deliberations about the outfit, when their father, beginning, as need was, at the crown of his head, exclaimed, "I declare, gals, I never told you my bad luck about my tother hat. I laid it down by the door just for a minute last Sabbath, and our plaguy pup run off with it into a mud-puddle—it was the worse for wear before, and it looks like all natur now."

"Let us look at it, father," said Susan; "there are not many people that know you in New-York, and maybe we can smooth it up and make it do." The hat was brought, and examined, and heads mournfully shaken over it; no domestic smoothing-up process would make it decent, and decency was to be attained. Suddenly, Charlotte remembered that during her only well week that spring, she had bound some hats for Mr. Ellis, the hatter, and Susan was despatched to ascertain if her earnings amounted to enough to pay for the re-dressing of her father's hat. His could scarcely have returned quicker than did Susan; indeed, her little divinityship seldom went on such pleasant errands. "Everybody in the world is kind to us," said Susan, as she re-entered, breathless. "Mr. Ellis has sent full pay for your work, Lottie, and says he'll dress father's hat over for nothing. I'm so glad, for now you can get a new riband for your bonnet,"

"After all the necessaries are provided."

"Anybody but you, Lottie, would' call that a necessary. Do look at this old dud—all frayed