nute for me? I have got a stone in my
shoe; it hurts me very much."

"How came there to be a stone in your shoe?"

"Because of this great hole, mamma,--it comes in there; my shoes are
quite worn out. I wish you would be so very good as to give me another
pair."

"Nay, Rosamond, but I have not money enough to buy shoes, and
flower-pots, and buckles, and boxes, and everything."

Rosamond thought that was a great pity. But now her foot, which had
been hurt by the stone, began to give her so much pain that she was
obliged to hop every other step, and she could think of nothing else.
They came to a shoemaker's shop soon afterwards.

"There, there! mamma, there are shoes; there are little shoes that
would just fit me, and you know shoes would be really of use to me."

"Yes, so they would, Rosamond. Come in."

She followed her mother into the shop.

Mr. Sole the shoemaker, had a great many customers, and his shop was
full, so they were obliged to wait.

"Well, Rosamond," said her mother, "you don't think this shop so
pretty as the rest?"

"No, not nearly; it is black and dark, and there are nothing but shoes
all round; and, besides, there's a very disagreeable smell."

"That smell is the smell of new leather."

"Is it? Oh!" said Rosamond, looking round, "there is a pair of little
shoes; they'll just fit me, I'm sure."

"Perhaps they might; but you cannot be sure till you have tried them
on, any more than you can be quite sure that you should like the
purple vase exceedingly, till you have examined it more attentively."

"Why, I don't know about the shoes, certainly, till I have tried; but,
mamma, I am quite sure that I should like the flower-pot."

"Well, which would you rather have, a jar or a pair of shoes? I will
buy either for you."

"Dear mamma, thank you--but if you could buy both?"

"No, not both."

"Then the jar, if you please."

"But I should tell you, that in that case I shall not give you another
pair of shoes this month."

"This month! that's a very long time, indeed! You can't think how
these hurt me; I believe I'd better have the new shoes. Yet, that
purple flower-pot. Oh, indeed, mamma, these shoes are not so very,
very bad! I think I might wear them a little longer, and the month
will soon be over. I can make them last till the end of the month,
can't I? Don't you think so, mamma?"

"Nay, my dear, I want you to think for yourself; you will have time
enough to consider the matter, whi