MISSIONARY SUNDAY.

 “FORGOT my nickel,” mumbled¹ the boy with the gold watch.

 

“Spent all my money yesterday,” laughed the one with the spike-toed shoes.

 

“Saving up to buy a ’bike,’” said the one with his hands in his pockets.

 

 

The envelope passed around the class and came back with six cents. Everybody knew who put in that nickel and penny. It was the boy who earned sixty cents a week on a newspaper route. His trousers were too short for his fast-lengthening legs, and his carefully polished shoes showed a break here and there; but one-tenth of his earnings² was given without fail into the Lord’s treasury³.

1 mumbled   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话，可我没太听清楚。
• George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。

2 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

3 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。