Well, the next question was, How could Jessy possibly wait till twelve o’clock for her mother to come home? Knitting was out of the question. She could do nothing but dance and look out of window, and look out of window and dance, holding the precious coins tight in her hand. At last, a well-known footstep was heard outside the door, and Mrs. Gray came in, looking very tired and worn. She smiled, however, when she saw Jessy, and said,—
“Well, my darling, I am glad to see you looking so bright. How has the morning gone with my little housekeeper?”
“Oh, mother!” cried Jessy, hopping about on one foot, “it has gone very well! oh, very, _very_, _very_ well! Oh, my mother dear, what do you think I have got in my hand? _What_ do you think? oh, what _do_ you think?” and she went dancing round and round, till poor Mrs. Gray was quite dizzy with watching her. At last she stopped, and holding out her hand, opened it and showed her mother what was in it. Mrs. Gray was really frightened.
“Jessy, my child!” she cried, “where did you get all that money?”
“Out of the cupperty-buts, Mamma!” said Jessy, “out of the cupperty-buts! and it’s all for you, every bit of it! Dear Mamma, now you will be happy, will you not?”
“Jessy,” said Mrs. Gray, “have you lost your senses, or are you playing some trick on me? Tell me all about this at once, dear child, and don’t talk nonsense.”
“But it isn’t nonsense, Mamma!” cried Jessy, “and it did come out of the cupperty-buts!”
And then she told her mother the whole story. The tears came into Mrs. Gray’s eyes, but they were tears of joy and gratitude.
“Jessy dear,” she said, “when we say our prayers at night, let us never forget to pray for that good gentleman. May Heaven bless him and reward him! for if it had not been for him, Jessy dear, I fear you would never have found the ‘Buttercup Gold.’”
PAPA and Mamma went out to row, And left us alone at home, you know,— Roderick, James and me. “My dears,” they said, “now play with your toys Like dear little, good little, sweet little boys, And we will come home to tea.”
We played with our toys the _longest_ while! We built up the blocks for nearly a mile,— Roderick, James and I. But when they came tumbling down, alas! They fell right against the looking-glass,— Oh! _how_ the pieces did fly!