“Horrid old thing!” said Winona when Marie was done reading the answers aloud. “If it’s an heirloom he hasn’t any business parting with it to buy a section of any kind of cow—or even a whole one.”
“Well, Marie, go on to the next,” said Mrs. Bryan. But the next was even more hopeless. What this man had was, from his description, a very cheap phonograph which was almost as old as the farmer’s music-box; but he, too, thought he would like to have twenty-five dollars for it.
“He doubtless wants to buy a section of cow, too,” suggested Mrs. Bryan.
“Maybe they’re buying her together,” said Louise brilliantly; and Marie read the last letter. This was the only one at all promising. The writer, who was a woman with a good handwriting and correct spelling, said that she had a two-year-old victrola in good condition, and that she would gladly sell it for twenty-five dollars, because she was going to be given a new one.
“That sounds better,” said Mrs. Bryan. “I would advise a committee of you to go and look it over.”
“But how badly they all want twenty-five dollars!” groaned Marie. “Do you notice it? They all ask for exactly the same amount.”
“Probably buying the cow on shares,” repeated Louise.
“I vote we make Louise one of the committee to see the two-year-old victrola,” said Winona. “She has business instinct, and the rest of us haven’t such a lot.”
“What’s more to the point, I also have a victrola at home, or Dad has,” said Louise, “and I know what it ought to be like to be good.”
So it was moved and seconded that Louise, Winona and Helen be appointed a committee of three to investigate the victrola.