# The Broken Window - Source: McGuffey's Second Reader (second-reader.gutenberg.org), Public domain, William Holmes McGuffey, 1879, via Project Gutenberg - Reading level: Grades 1 and 2 - Subjects: Stories, Nature - Topics: george, street, window, bright, broke, broken - Length: 250 words, about 2 min - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: THE BROKEN WINDOW. - George Ellet had a bright silver dollar for a New-year gift. - He thought of all the fine things he might buy with it. - The ground was all covered with snow; but the sun shone out bright, and everything looked beautiful. - So George put on his hat, and ran into the street. As he went skipping along, he met some boys throwing snowballs. George soon engaged in the sport. - He sent a ball at James Mason, but it missed him, and broke a window on the other side of the street. - George feared some one would come out of the house and find him. So he ran off as fast as he could. - As soon as he got round the next corner, George stopped, because he was very sorry for what he had done. - He said to himself, "I have no right to spend my silver dollar, now. I ought to go back, and pay for the glass I broke with my snowball." - He went up and down the street, and felt very sad. He wished very much to buy something nice. He also wished to pay for the broken glass. - At last he said, "It was wrong to break the window, though I did not mean to do it. I will go and pay for it, if it takes all my money, I will try not to be sorry. I do not think the man will hurt me if I pay for the mischief I have done." ## Picture credits - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain () - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain ()