“Do you think you could part with any of yours?”
“I love them all dearly, but I think I could do it to make Jennie happy. I know she'd like to have a doll, and it would be a long time before I could save money enough to buy her one.”
“Well,” said Mrs. Ashford, “I'm sure she would be very happy with one of yours, but you had better take time to think it over well, and not do anything you would afterward regret.”
Marty thought it over until the next evening, and then said she still wished to give Jennie the doll.
“Very well, then,” said her mother, “I am willing you should do it. Which doll do you think of giving her?”
“Laura Amelia.”
“Why, she is your third largest and one of your prettiest! Why do you choose her?”
“Because Jennie would like a fair doll, and she's the only fair one I have except the one Grandma Brewster gave me, and I shouldn't like to give that away.” And then she repeated what Jennie had said about the next-door girl's doll.
So it was settled that Laura Amelia was to leave home the next Saturday. Her clothes were put in good order, and Mrs. Ashford made her a travelling dress.
On Friday night when Marty, in her little wrapper and worsted slippers, made her appearance at the sitting-room door to say “Good-night,” she had Laura Amelia clasped in her arms.