a better
room than I have! I won't stay if I have to have this room, so."

"Oh, yes," said Mrs. Birkenbaum, soothingly. "Yes, you will stay,
Maude. The only reason that Ruby has a larger room is because it is
her aunt's room, and of course a teacher has to have a larger and nicer
room than the scholars. It will be ever so much nicer to be in this
room. I am sure you would not like to be in the same room with a
teacher and have her listening to everything you said. And now mind,
you must be careful what you say to Ruby, for she will probably tell
her aunt everything, and the teachers won't like you if you complain
about things. Don't fuss about the room, that is a good child, and I
will send you a new ring, and you shall have a great big box of cake
every month, and then all the other girls will want to be friends with
you. This is a nice room; see, it has two windows."

But Maude did not feel disposed to let herself be coaxed into liking
the room.

"It's a horrid little bit of a room," she repeated again, pettishly.
"I don't like it, and I won't stay, unless you send me a beautiful
ring. What kind of a ring will it be, if I stay, mamma?"

"What kind of a ring would you like?" asked her mother. "You shall
tell me just what you would like, and I will coax papa to buy it for
you."

"I want a ring with red and blue stones in it," said Maude, sitting up,
and looking less unhappy now that she was interested in her ring. "If
papa will send me a ring like that then maybe I will stay, but you must
remember to send me lots of cake and candy."

"Very well, dear, I will," said her mother, pleased at having coaxed
the wilful little girl into submission.

"And you will be good, too, won't you, Maude? You know papa wants you
to learn something, and you won't learn anything at home, so we want
you to get along in your lessons here. Don't let little Ruby Harper
beat you in everything. You are ever so much smarter than she is, if
you only study."

"I guess I am smarter," said Maude, tossing her head. "Ruby is only a
country girl, and I guess I can beat her in lessons and everything else
if I make up my mind to it, but if I study you must give me everything
I want for Christmas."

"Yes, we will," her mother answered. "Now get up and let me brush your
hair, Maude, and we will go downstairs for a little while, and look
about, and then I will unpack your trunk, and get things settled for
you."

Maude felt better