Part 26 (1/2)
”Just so,” said Sophia. ”He will like them.”
”So I think. Suppose we go to the store while he is away, and buy him a pair.”
”Won't he need to try them on?” asked her sister.
”No,” said Priscilla. ”They don't need to fit as exactly as boots.”
So the two sisters made their way to the village store, and asked to look at their stock of skates.
”Are you going to skate, Miss Priscilla?” asked the shopkeeper, jocosely.
”No; they are for Sophia,” answered Priscilla, who could joke occasionally.
”Oh, Priscilla,” answered the matter-of-fact Sophia, ”you didn't tell me about that. I am sure I could not skate. You said they were for Andrew.”
”Sophia, you are a goose.”
”Just so.”
”It was only a joke.”
”Just so.”
The ladies, who never did things by halves, selected the best pair in the store, and paid for them. When Andy had returned from skating, Priscilla said: ”How did you like the skating, Andrew?”
”It was bully,” said Andrew, enthusiastically.
”Whose skates did you borrow?”
”Alfred Parker's. They were too small for me, but I made them do.”
”I should suppose you would like to have a pair of your own.”
”So I should, but I can't afford to buy a pair, just yet.
”I'll tell you what I want to do, and maybe you'll help me about buyin' it.”
”What is it, Andrew?”
”You know Christmas is comin', ma'am, and I want to buy my mother a nice dress for a Christmas present--not a calico one, but a thick one for winter.”
”Alpaca or de laine?”
”I expect so; I don't know the name of what I want, but you do. How much would it cost?”
”I think you could get a good de laine for fifty cents a yard. I saw some at the store this afternoon.”
”And about how many yards would be wanted, ma'am?”
”About twelve, I should think.”