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"there is a pair of little shoes; they will just fit me I am sure."

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

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

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

“Dear mamma, I thank you—but if you could buy both ?"

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No, not both."

"Then the jar if you please."

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

"This month!—that is a very long time indeed--You cannot think how these hurt me: I believe I had better have the new shoes-but 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 I will soon be over: I can make them last till the end of the month. Do you not think I can, mamma ?"

"My dear, I want you to think for yourself : you will have time enough to consider about it, whilst I speak to Mr. Sole about my clogs." Mr. Sole was by this time at leisure, and whilst her mother was talking to him, Rosamond stood thinking, by her side, with one shoe on, and the other in her hand.

"Well, my dear, have you decided?" "Mamma!-yes-I believe-if you please, I should like the flower-pot; that is, if you do not think me very silly, mamma."

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Why, as to that, I shall not tell you what I think, Rosamond; but, when you are to judge for yourself, you should choose what would make you the happiest; and then it would not signify who thought you silly."

"Then, mamma, if that is all, I am sure the flower-pot would make me the happiest," said she, putting on her old shoe again; "so I choose the flower-pot."

"Very well, you shall have it ; tie your shoe, and come home."

Rosamond tied her shoe, and ran after her mother. It was not long before the shoe came down at the heel, and many times was she obliged to stop to take the stones out of her shoe, and often was she obliged to hop for pain. When they came to the shop with the large window, Rosamond was delighted, to hear her mother desire the servant, who was with them, to buy the purple jar, and bring it home. He had other errands, so he did not go home with Rosamond and her mother.

As soon as they got into the house, Rosamond ran to gather all her own flowers, which she had in a corner of her mother's garden. "I am afraid they will be dead before the flower-pot comes, Rosamond," said her mother to her when she was coming in with the flowers in her

apron.

“No, mamma, it will come very soon I dare

say ;—and I shall be very happy, putting them into the purple flower-pot ?"

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I hope so, my dear."-The servant was much longer returning home than Rosamond had expected; but at length he came, and brought with him the jar. The moment it was set upon the table Rosamond ran up joyfully exclaiming, "I may have it now, mamma ?"

"Yes, my dear, it is yours." Rosamond poured the flowers upon the carpet, and seized the purple flower-pot. "Oh dear, mother!" cried she, as soon as she had taken off the top, "there is something dark in it-it smells very disagreeably what is it? I did not want this black stuff."

-

"Nor I neither, my dear."-"What shall I do with it, mamma ?"-" That I cannot tell." "But it will be of no use to me, mamma."-"That I cannot help."-" But I must pour it out, and fill the flower-pot with water." "That is as you please, my dear.""Will you lend me a bowl to pour it into, mamma?""That is more than I promised you; but I will lend you a bowl."

The bowl was brought, and Rosamond emptied the jar. But what was her surprise and disappointment, when it was entirely empty, to find that it was no longer purple. It was a plain, white glass jar, which had appeared to have that beautiful color, merely from the liquor with which it was filled.

Little Rosamond burst into tears.

"Why should you cry, my dear ?" said her mother, "it will be of as much use to you now as ever for a flower-pot."

➡ But it will not look so pretty on the chimney piece-1 am sure if I had known that it was not really purple, I should not have wished to have it so much,"

"But did not I tell you, that you had not examined it, and that perhaps you would be disappointed ?"" And so I am disappointed, indeed; I wish I had believed you before hand.Now I had much rather have the shoes; for I shall not be able to walk all this month; even walking this little way hurt me very much. Mamma, I will give you the flower-pot back again, and the purple stuff and all, if you will only give me a pair of shoes."

"No, Rosamond, you must abide by your own choice; and now the best thing you can possibly do is to bear your disappointment with good humour."

"I will bear it as well as I can," said Rosamond, wiping her eyes, and slowly, and sorrowfully filling the jar with the flowers.

Rosamond's disappointment did not end here, many were the troubles which her imprudent choice brought upon her, before the end of the month. Every day her shoes grew worse and worse, till at last she could neither run, dance, walk, or jump in them.

Whenever Rosamond was called to see any thing, she was pulling up her shoes at the heels, and was sure to be too late. Whenever her mother was going out to walk, she could not take Rosamond with her, for Rosamond had no soles to her shoes, and, at length, on the very last day of the month, it happened that her father proposed to take her with her brother

to a glass-house, which she had long wished to

see.

She was very happy; but when she was quite ready, had her hat and gloves on, and was making haste down stairs to her father and brother, who were waiting at the hall door for her, the shoe dropped off; she put it on again in a great hurry, but as she was going across the hall her father turned round.

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Why are you walking slip-shod? No one must walk slip shod with me; why Rosamond," said he, looking at her shoes with disgust, "I thought you were always next; go, I cannot take you with me.”

Rosamond ran up stairs-" Oh, mamma, said she," as she took off her hat, "how I wish that I had chosen the shoes-they would have been of so much more use to me than the jar; however, I am sure-no, not quite sure-but, I hope I shall be wiser another time."

THE TWO PLUMS.

"WHAT are you looking for, Rosamond ?" said her mother. Rosamond was kneeling upon the carpet, and leaning upon both her hands looking for something very earnestly.

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Mamma," said she, pushing aside her hair, which hung over her face, and looking up with a sorrowful countenance, "I am looking for my ncedle; I have been all this morning, ever since breakfast, trying to find my needle, and I cannot find it."

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