"It was
not," she said, "the value of the gift alone which pleased her, but it
made her happy to know that I had sacrificed so much to make her a
present; but" said she "I'll take good care that you will be no loser
by remembering your Aunt Lucinda."
I felt more than paid for the sacrifice I had made to give pleasure to
another; I was trying to learn the useful lesson of setting aside self
that I might add to the happiness of others, especially of the kind
friend, beneath whose roof I dwelt. It was my invariable custom on my
way to school to call each morning for Willie and Rose Oswald. We became
great friends, and many evenings did I carry over my books, that we
might together study the lesson for the morning's recitation; and when
(as was often the case) Uncle Nathan rallied me upon the subject, I
replied, with much dignity, (as I thought) that I preferred studying
with Willie and Rose, on account of Mr. Oswald being at hand to assist
us. "It's all right, Walter" he would reply, "you and little Rose will
make a handsome couple ten years from now, and I only hope I may live
to see the day, for it won't do to have too many old bachelors in the
family", and, with a roguish look at Aunt Lucinda, "to say nothing of old
maids.
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