American Sunday-School Union

“ Alice told them, that if some of them could only give a penny a year, she would gladly take [13] that; and then, that they might not be ashamed of giving so little, she read to them the story of the "widow's mite." And when the girls laughed, because one little girl, whose mother was very poor, said, "She would bring a penny if she could ever get one," Alice kissed her, and said,
"Perhaps, Kitty, your penny will be as acceptable, and do more good, than hundreds of dollars from some very rich man who does not miss it at all. At any rate you shall come into our Society and help us sew." ”

“ Alice Wood now reckoned up the promised sums, and said,
"I think, girls, if we all keep the resolutions we have formed, that by only saving the money that [18] we should spend in other ways, and giving it to the society, we can pledge ourselves to give altogether fifty dollars a year; and with our Sewing Society, and the many other ways that have been mentioned of earning a little money, I should not be surprised if we should raise it to one hundred dollars a year. ”

“ Susy Barnes, who was the leader of the party, "than to spend them in getting the tooth-ache, and making ourselves sick; and we have all made up our minds that we will not buy any more candy." The old woman flew into a passion, and talked so loud, that some of the little girls were for running off, but Susy stood her ground undaunted. ”

“ Now I am going to ask him to continue the penny a week; and then I am going to see how long I can keep a pencil, for I have been very careless in losing them. And in these, and other ways, I hope I can save quite a sum of money in [11] a year. Now, girls, will you all think, between this time and tomorrow noon, how much you can save, and then we will put it all down together, and see how much we can hope to collect in a year?"
The girls readily promised, and then, as they had stayed a long time, they all set off in haste for their homes, full of the new project of the Missionary Society. ”

“ Depend upon it, your interest in benevolent objects will increase from the very moment that you deny yourself for the sake of giving to others. Think what it would be to have even one soul saved from among the poor benighted heathen, to rise up in the last great day, and call you, yes you, my little reader, blessed. ”

“ For, said he, (and these words are from the Bible,) 'He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given, will he pay him again.' And, 'The [20] liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall himself be watered.'"
As the girls went home, they all kept on the side of the road opposite to Mother Grimes's shop; for the old woman had a bad temper, and a very loud voice, and they were all afraid of hearing from her if they passed her shop without stopping to buy something. ”