Paula the Waldensian - Eva Lecomte

Paula dried her eyes and listened intently as Rosa continued, "P. S. I am
sending thee five francs by money order which you can redeem at your post
office. Buy something with it by which to remember me."
"Five francs!" repeated Paula, with astonishment now instead of tears on
her face, "Are you sure?"
"Of course. See. Here is the money order."
Paula, who never in her life had owned a single cent, could hardly
believe that she was the possessor of so much riches!
Her godmother's letter was, of course, a tremendous event for all of us.
Rosa had to read it over and over many times, and it seemed as if Paula
wished to learn it by heart. Even my father read it with great attention and
appeared quite pleased. Teresa declared that "The god-mother was surely a
'très comme il faut,'" but she did not explain to us why.
One thing however displeased Teresa--the eagerness with which Paula
immediately planned to spend all her money.
"How now!" she exclaimed, "Is it burning a hole in your pocket? I
should think a little girl like you would prefer to keep the money."
"Keep it?" said Paula. "Why should I keep it?"
But the next day, when Teresa announced that she was going to the city,
she invited us both to come along. "What are _you_ going to buy?" she asked
Paula.
"Oh, so many things. You shall see!"
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