The Grinder Papers — page 262: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IHE GRINDER PAPERS. 257 ‘‘Met a little girl goin’ for ‘lasses for her ma,” goes on Mr. Peach. ‘‘Said, ‘What have you there, my little dear?’ ‘Sez she, ‘Ten pennies, ma'am.’ ‘Sez I, ‘Will you not contribute ’em tu a good cause?” ‘Sez she, ‘They're ma’s.’ ‘Sez I, ‘Your ma will rejoice fur tu be permitted-—— ‘*She holds on tight. : ‘“*We ain't got no butter,’ sez she, ‘and the bread is like chips.’ ‘“*No matter,’ sez I. ‘Tell your ma she has bought better than ‘lasses with it.’ Name o’ Timkins—back cellar o’ the to- bacconist, ” And so he continnered, until what Miss Chowder got amounted tu a hundred dollars, put along o’ the rest. ‘‘Now,” sez Deacon Plunket, ‘‘what shill the gift be? Downing has everything necessary. He’s forehanded o com- forts; this here must appeal tu the taste—must be a article o adornment. They've all got watches, and rings, and pins. Last year we collected a silver tea-service, Now, what du you say tu a fine pictur?” : | ‘‘Good idee,” sez one. ‘*A hundred dollars,” sez the deacon, ‘‘orter recompense the fust o’ artists for the best pictur. Perhaps,” sez he, ‘‘we might get a old master. Old masters is highly prized. A re- ligious subject would be appropriate, and some persons 0’ com- bined talent in arts and economy ought tu be appinted tu choose.” ~ GOMIEDOO “S m