“Thank you, Miss Lulu,” said Marian; “I shall certainly try to find the time, and will be very glad to hear the story.”
Here the conversation came to an end, as they were just on the threshold of the store to which Marian’s errand led her.
While she attended to that, Lulu, glancing curiously about, spied a box of narrow ribbons of various colors, asked to be allowed to look at them, inquired the price, and selecting a red, a white, and a blue piece, said, “You may please wrap these up for me,” and taking out her purse, paid for them.
She noticed that Marian watched the proceeding with some little surprise and curiosity, though she asked no question and made no remark.
“I suppose you are wondering what I bought these ribbons for?” Lulu said, as they left the store.
“Yes,” replied Marian, “but still more that you should buy them without asking permission, when you couldn’t even walk down the street with me till you had asked your father if you might.”
“Oh, that was quite a different thing:” said Lulu. “Papa allows me to spend my pocket money as I please,—at least, within certain bounds. He wouldn’t let me buy whiskey or tobacco or dime novels, of course,” she added, with a laugh.
“I should think not, indeed,” said Marian, joining in the laugh; “yet I dare say he would be as likely to let you, as you to wish to do so.”
“Yes; I can’t say that I have any inclination to spend my money so, even to prove my independence; though, now I come to think of it, I’m pretty sure I would be allowed to buy tobacco if it was as a present to some of our old colored people who are very fond of it.”
“It must be fine to have money of your own to do as you will with,” remarked Marian, “I never was so fortunate, but I hope to earn for myself some day. Poor mother has always had a struggling time,” she went on, “and I could never have the heart to take pocket money from her, if she offered it, but the folk about town say your father is very, very rich, Miss Lulu.”