“Oh， I promise，” said the little girl. Then， she suddenly became very still and quiet. There was something she had forgotten to ask. She looked up at Pappy with great concern， and again almost in a whisper， asked， “How much will it cost？”
“Well， let’s see. How much have you got to spend？” Pappy asked with a grin.
The child pulled a small coin purse from her pocket then reached up and emptied two dollars and forty-seven cents onto the counter. After briefly questioning his own sanity， Pappy said， “Little lady， this is your lucky day. That bell costs exactly two dollars and forty-seven cents.”
Later that evening as Pappy prepared to close up shop， he found himself thinking about his bell. Already he had decided not to put up another one. He thought about the child and wondered if her grandpa liked her gift. Surely， he would cherish anything from such a precious grandchild.
At that moment， just as he was going to turn off the light in memory hall， Pappy thought he heard his bell. Again， he questioned his sanity； he turned toward the door， and there stood the little girl. She was ringing the bell and smiling sweetly.
Pappy was puzzled as he strolled toward the small child. “What’s this， little lady？ Have you changed your mind？”
“No，” she grinned， “Momma says it’s for you.”
Before Pappy had time to say another word， the child’s mother stepped into the doorway， and choking back a tear， she gently said， “Hello， Dad.”
The little girl tugged on her grandpa’s shirt tail， “Here， Grandpa. Here’s your hanky. Blow your nose.”
“小姑娘，你買什麽？”
帕匹是位慈眉善目的老人。雖然頭發已變白，但他依然把它修剪得整整齊齊；那雙湛藍的眼睛因年老而不再清澈，但依然和藹可親；臉上爬滿了皺紋，但當他微笑時，那些皺紋似乎也變得柔和起來，綻放著笑意。他的口哨吹得很好，每天他總是一邊打掃店鋪，一邊歡快地吹著口哨。即便如此，他心裏還是忘不了那件傷心事，但是熟悉的人都很敬仰他。