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Carol's Chapter · When Carol was about twelve or thirteen years old

An Easter Coat and Mom’s Quiet Generosity

told by Carol Mae Guild Sutton

Carol saved her baby-sitting money to buy a pink, short, lamb’s wool coat for Easter Sunday at Penney’s. While she tried it on, a woman stole the wallet she had set on a chair. The clerks could not catch the thief, and Carol went home crying without the coat. Her mother comforted her and gave her the twenty-five dollars she needed. Carol believed her mother must have gone without something that week, though her mother never mentioned any sacrifice.

In the family's own words

One year, when I was about twelve or thirteen years old, I saved all my baby-sitting money to buy a new coat for Easter Sunday. I went downtown to Penney’s and found just the coat I wanted. I sat my wallet down on a chair while I tried it on. It was a pink, short, lamb’s wool coat. Oh, I thought it was so pretty. So I started to reach for my wallet to pay for it, but it wasn’t there! I looked up and saw a lady running away with my wallet in her hand. I was crushed and started to cry. The clerks couldn’t catch the woman and I had to go home without my coat. I was crying when I got home and ran to Mom to tell her what happened. It was Saturday afternoon and the next day was Easter. Mom said, “Don’t cry honey,” and she went into her bedroom and returned with the twenty-five dollars I needed for the coat. How Mom could spare that twenty-five dollars I will never know. I’m sure she did without something that week, but never once mentioned it.

Referenced in

Carol's Chapter, told by Carol Mae Guild Sutton

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