“sen,” and therefore she said as proudly as she could, “But my papa can buy
a hundred dollars’ worth of bonbons, and give them away to children. Can
your papa do that?”
“Yes; and my papa,” said the little daughter of the editor of a paper, “my
papa can put your papa and everybody’s papa into the newspaper. All sorts
of people are afraid of him, my mamma says, for he can do as he likes with
the paper.” And the little maiden looked exceedingly proud, as if she had
been a real princess, who may be expected to look proud.
But outside the door, which stood ajar, was a poor boy, peeping through
the crack of the door. He was of such a lowly station that he had not been
allowed even to enter the room. He had been turning the spit for the cook,
and she had given him permission to stand behind the door and peep in at
the well-dressed children, who were having such a merry time within; and
for him that was a great deal. “Oh, if I could be one of them,” thought he,
and then he heard what was said about names, which was quite enough to
make him more unhappy. His parents at home had not even a penny to spare
to buy a newspaper, much less could they write in one; and worse than all,
his father’s name, and of course his own, ended in “sen,” and therefore he
could never turn out well, which was a very sad thought. But after all, he
had been born into the world, and the station of life had been chosen for
him, therefore he must be content.
And this is what happened on that evening.
Many years passed, and most of the children became grown-up persons.
There stood a splendid house in the town, filled with all kinds of
beautiful and valuable objects. Everybody wished to see it, and people even
came in from the country round to be permitted to view the treasures it
contained.
Which of the children whose prattle we have described, could call this
house his own? One would suppose it very easy to guess. No, no; it is not
so very easy. The house belonged to the poor little boy who had stood on
