“We couldn’t find anything cheap enough!” sighed Ethel, dismally.
Marie Louise put down her pencil, and looked about the porch for a minute. Suddenly she was seized with an inspiration.
“I have it, girls!” she cried joyfully. “We didn’t go to an artist for our sign, and pay artists’ prices; we didn’t hire an expensive house-cleaning establishment to put our house in order; we’re not going to engage professional waitresses at big wages—we do all those things ourselves! Why not apply the same principle to the furniture?”
Marjorie regarded Marie Louise in utter amazement. Her suggestion did not sound sensible.
“But we can’t make furniture!” she protested.
“We can buy a cheap grade from a manufacturer, and finish and decorate it ourselves,” explained Marie Louise. “I know how to do it—we studied the method at school. And I’m sure our crew of boys would help in the evenings. As for the rest-room furniture, why not use this from the porch? Nobody would mind doing without it for the summer.”
“Wouldn’t your mother object to our using it?” asked Ethel.
“No, I’m sure she wouldn’t, for we could be careful. Now cheer up! We’ll get the boys on the telephone and have them come over to plan everything.”
Acting upon the suggestion of Marie Louise, they set out the next day to search for a furniture manufacturer. This time the artist went with Marjorie and Ethel. They were able to procure small round tables at eight dollars each, and good looking chairs at three dollars. They were plain, but substantially built, and had what Marie Louise called “good lines.” So they went home happy, having bought six tables and twenty-four chairs, and one extra oblong table, costing ten dollars, to be used as a serving-table.
“Now, Marie Louise,” said Marjorie, “it’s up to you to see that they get fixed up.”