human
Such a lot of fuss about a little glue, he complained to himself, for Father Blossom scolded when he came home and found half of his glue wasted and he said that Twaddles should have no dessert for his supper; and Norah was very cross because she had to give her pantry an extra scrubbing, Twaddles having managed to track the floor with glue.
gpt
I have bad luck all the time,
human
Daddy, said Bobby that evening,
gpt
I'd like to earn some money.
human
Yes, Son? answered Father Blossom encouragingly.
gpt
What do you want money for?
human
I heard Miss Mason saying to Miss Wright to-day at noon that Mrs. Jordan and her son are having an awful hard winter, explained Bobby.
gpt
Folks want to send Paul to a home, but Mrs. Jordan won't let 'em. She wants to go out doing day's work. But she's too old. Miss Mason says old people are so heady.
human
I think almost any mother, old or young, would fight to keep her son from being placed in a home, he said gently.
gpt
Do you want to earn money for the Jordans, Bobby?
human
Yes, sir, replied Bobby sturdily.
gpt
If you'd lend me the snow shovel, Daddy, Palmer Davis and I figured out we could earn a lot shoveling walks.
human
Oh, no, Daddy, interposed Mother Blossom from the piano where she was helping Meg with her music lesson and yet listening to the conversation between Bobby and his father.
gpt
He's too little for that heavy work, isn't he?
human
I can, too, argued Bobby heatedly.
gpt
Can't I have the shovel, Daddy? Mother's always afraid I'm going to hurt myself. I'm not a girl.
human
Well, Mother happens to be right, said Father Blossom firmly.
gpt
You and Palmer are altogether too little to try shoveling snow from walks; it's packed now and is work for a grown boy or man. If you had a shovel of your own, I shouldn't consent to any such scheme for earning money.
human
There are other ways, Bobby, Mother Blossom assured him brightly.
gpt
I'm sure the other children will want to help when they hear about the Jordans. Why don't you, and some of the boys and girls in your class, give a little fair? We'll all help, won't we, Daddy?
human
But I don't know how to give a fair,
gpt
I do, said Meg, turning around on the piano bench.
human
You have tables, and on 'em things to sell, and everybody comes. Where could we have the fair, Mother?
gpt
I think here in the house, answered Mother Blossom thoughtfully.
human
We live near enough to the center of town for people to get here easily.
gpt
But how do you have a fair? persisted Bobby.
human
Where do we get things to sell? Can we do it all ourselves?
gpt
Certainly you can, declared Father Blossom.
human
You want the money to be your own gift, so you boys and girls must do the work. We older folk will help with advice. Mother can tell you all about it. Her church society gives two fairs every year.
gpt
You want to know how we do it? she asked.
human
Well, first we choose our committees and plan the tables. There is usually a refreshment table; a table for fancy work, aprons, bags, and pretty handkerchiefs; if the fair is held in summer, we have a flower table; then a grab-bag table for the little people. After we plan how many tables we will have, the committees set out to collect the things to be sold. They go to the baker and ask for cake donations; and to ladies and ask them to bake cakes; they ask other ladies to make aprons and bags; Mr. Barber, the grocer, usually gives us something for the canned goods table. You see, the idea is to ask people to give all these things and then whatever they are sold for can go outright to the purpose for which the fair is held.
gpt
Like new carpets for the church,
human
Yes, new carpets for the church, or new books for the Sunday-school library, agreed Mother Blossom.
gpt
Your fair will be for the Jordans, and the money you raise will help them through the winter.