aid:

"I have it."

"What?" asked Sophia, alarmed.

"I mean that I have found out what to give to Andrew."

"What is it?"

"A pair of skates."

"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."

"Then it would be six dollars."

"Just so," said Sophia, who thought it about time she took part in the
conversation.

"I've got the money, ma'am, and I'll give it to you, if you and Miss
Sophia will be kind enough to buy it for me."

"To be sure we will, Andrew," said Priscilla, kindly. "I am glad you
are such a good son."

"Just so, Andrew."

"You see," said Andy, "mother won't buy anything for herself. She
always wants to buy things for Mary and me. She wants us to be
well-dressed, but she goes with the same old cl