"Oh, such lovely little dolls' chairs! Carved, you know, and with _beautiful_ red cushions. I came by there this morning, and that's the reason I was late at school, I stopped so long to look at those cunning chairs." "Let's all go home that way," suggested Marty, "and then we can see them." "All right," said Hattie. So after school quite a crowd went around by Harrison's toy-store to see the wonderful chairs. There they were, rather small, to be sure, but ebony--at least they looked like ebony--and crimson satin. The girls were in raptures with them. "They are beauties!" cried Edith. "How I should love to have one!" said Marty. "I wonder how much they are," said Rosa Stevenson. "You go in and ask, Rosa," said Edith. "Yes, do, do," urged the others. Rosa went, and came back with the information that they were twelve cents apiece. "Well, that isn't so much," said Edith. "I think I can afford to get one. I'll see when I go home." "I know I have enough money to buy one," said Rosa, "but I never buy anything without asking mamma about it first." "She'll let you get it," said Edith. "Oh, you girls always have some money saved up, and I never have," sighed Marty. "And I do want one of those chairs so badly." "So do I," said Hattie, "and I haven't any money either, but I'm going to tease mamma night and day till she gives me twelve cents." "It's no use to tease my mamma," said Marty. "If she wont let me do a thing, she wont, and that's the end of it. But of course I'll tell her about the chairs, and see what she says. Maybe she'll let me have one." As soon as she reached home Marty gave her mother a glowing description of the chairs, winding up with, "And, O mamma! I do want one awfully." "But you have so many playthings already, Marty," objected her mother. "Just look at those closet shelves! Besides, you got a complete set of dolls' furniture Christmas." "Oh, I know I don't _need_ another chair at all, but those red ones are so cunning, and one would look so well mixed in among my blue ones. I should _love_ to have one." "I am sorry your mind is so set on it," said Mrs. Ashford, "for I dislike to have you disappointed, but when you have so many playthings, I really don't feel like giving you money, even if it is only a trifle." "May I buy a chair if I have money enough of my own?" Marty asked. "Oh, yes--if you wish to spend your money that way; but I would rather save it for something else if I were you." Marty had no very clear idea where "money of her own" was to come from just at that time, but thought it possible the necessary amount might appear before the chairs were all sold.