--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, Donald,” (this was Guy Clarence’s…" description: "\"“Oh, Donald,” (this was Guy Clarence’s name), Janet exclaimed alarmedly, “why did you offer that little girl your sixpence? I’m sure she is not a begga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_beggar_oh-donald-this-was-guy-clarence-s-name-j_466800.png" --- # Oh, Donald,” (this was Guy Clarence’s name), Janet… ![“Oh, Donald,” (this was Guy Clarence’s name), Janet exclaimed alarmedly, “why did you offer that little girl your sixpence? I’m sure she is not a beggar!” “She didn’t speak like a beggar!” cried Nora. “And her face didn’t really look like a beggar’s face!” “Besides, she didn’t beg,” said Janet. “I…” quote by Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_beggar_oh-donald-this-was-guy-clarence-s-name-j_466800.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_beggar_oh-donald-this-was-guy-clarence-s-name-j_466800.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_beggar_oh-donald-this-was-guy-clarence-s-name-j_466800.png) > ““Oh, Donald,” (this was Guy Clarence’s name), Janet exclaimed alarmedly, “why did you offer that little girl your sixpence? I’m sure she is not a beggar!” “She didn’t speak like a beggar!” cried Nora. “And her face didn’t really look like a beggar’s face!” “Besides, she didn’t beg,” said Janet. “I was so afraid she might be angry with you. You know, it makes people angry to be taken for beggars when they are not beggars.” “She wasn’t angry,” said Donald, a trifle dismayed, but still firm. “She laughed a little, and she said I was a kind, kind little darling thing. And I was!”--stoutly. “It was my whole sixpence.”” [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s generosity is misinterpreted as charity, highlighting how kindness can be misunderstood when assumptions about poverty are made. **In simple terms:** Kindness can be mistaken for charity. Key Takeaway Be mindful of assumptions about others’ needs. Themes generosity misunderstanding class empathy Mood thoughtful reflective Type literary teaching emotional When to use this quote - parenting - teaching empathy - community aid - charitable acts Key Concepts social perception childhood innocence economic bias Questions to Reflect On - How do we recognize sincere generosity? - What biases affect our view of giving? A Different Perspective Assumptions about poverty can obscure genuine kindness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beggar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beggar/) [Beggar Cried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beggar-cried-4043349/) [Beggar Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beggar-didn-4043350/) [Cried Nora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cried-nora-4043351/) [Like Beggar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-beggar-1087623/) [Little girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-girl/) ## Related quotes > [I know that a man who shows me his wealth is like the beggar who shows me his poverty; they are both looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/i-know-that-a-man-who-shows-me-his-wealth-is-like-the-beggar-who/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [A bachelor lives like a king and dies like a beggar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-s-lowry/a-bachelor-lives-like-a-king-and-dies-like-a-beggar/) [L. S. 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Bartram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-bartram/) > [“This mountain, the arched back of the earth risen before us, it made me feel humble, like a beggar, just lucky to be here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-asher/this-mountain-the-arched-back-of-the-earth-risen-before-us-it-made-me/) [Bridget Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-asher/) > [“Do you mean to tell me,” she cried out, “that he left nothing! That Sara will have no fortune! That the child is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/do-you-mean-to-tell-me-she-cried-out-that-he-left-nothing-that-sara/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“She was such a little girl that one did not expect to see such a look on her small face. It would have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/she-was-such-a-little-girl-that-one-did-not-expect-to-see-such-a-look/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) ## More by Frances Hodgson Burnett > [When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-you-will-not-fly-into-a-passion-people-know-you-are-stronger/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“What does it say?" asked my lord. 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One of her 'pretends' is that she is a princess. She plays it all the time—even in school. She says it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/well-it-is-one-of-her-pretends-is-that-she-is-a-princess-she-plays-it/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“They know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage and they are not, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-know-you-are-stronger-than-they-are-because-you-are-strong/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“Tom's Cabin, and she spent many hours acting out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/tom-s-cabin-and-she-spent-many-hours-acting-out/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [... justice is mercy's highest self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/justice-is-mercy-s-highest-self/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) [Explore all 296 Frances Hodgson Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) ## More Beggar quotes > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/) [Peire Cardenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peire-cardenal/) > [Literary tradition is full of lies about poverty-the jolly beggar, the poor but happy milkmaid, the wholesome diet of porridge, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/literary-tradition-is-full-of-lies-about-poverty-the-jolly-beggar-the/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Why remain polite but powerless, in love but a beggar?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/why-remain-polite-but-powerless-in-love-but-a-beggar/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Don't be doubtful to your goals or else you will end up your life as a beggar, keep faith on yourself and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athar-azeem/don-t-be-doubtful-to-your-goals-or-else-you-will-end-up-your-life-as/) [Athar Azeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athar-azeem/) > [Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/poets-and-beggars-musicians-and-prophets-warriors-and-scoundrels-all/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Beggars fear no rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/beggars-fear-no-rebellion/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/) > [Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot! A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot. Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again! The beggars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/hurrah-for-revolution-and-more-cannon-shot-a-beggar-upon-horseback/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You obviously don't know what an Old Man of the Sea great wealth is. It is not a fat purse and time to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/you-obviously-don-t-know-what-an-old-man-of-the-sea-great-wealth-is/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Make of the Silence your to-do tasks, of the compassion your wealth and of the meditation your beggar's bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/make-of-the-silence-your-to-do-tasks-of-the-compassion-your-wealth/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/nobody-but-a-beggar-chooses-to-depend-chiefly-upon-the-benevolence-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [All religions have honored the beggar. For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-religions-have-honored-the-beggar-for-he-proves-that-in-a-matter/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [I'll not meddle with it. It makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-ll-not-meddle-with-it-it-makes-a-man-a-coward-a-man-cannot-steal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A beggar through the world am I, From place to place I wander by. Fill up my pilgrim's scrip for me, For Christ's sweet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/a-beggar-through-the-world-am-i-from-place-to-place-i-wander-by-fill/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The bashful beggar has an empty purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cranch-bond/the-bashful-beggar-has-an-empty-purse/) [William Cranch Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cranch-bond/) > [“A coin is examined, and only after careful deliberation, given to a beggar, whereas a child is flung out into the cosmic brutality without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wessel-zapffe/a-coin-is-examined-and-only-after-careful-deliberation-given-to-a/) [Peter Wessel Zapffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wessel-zapffe/) [Browse all 455 Beggar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beggar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh, Donald,” (this was Guy Clarence’s name), Janet exclaimed alarmedly, “why did you offer that little girl your sixpence? 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