After that there was a general demand for a jeweller’s catalogue which appeared in their midst about that time.  One page was devoted to illustrations of such stones with a rhyme for each month.  The firm which issued the catalogue would have been surprised at the rush of orders had they not had previous dealings with Girls’ Schools.  The year before there had been almost as great a demand for tiny gold crosses, and the year before for huge silver horse-shoes.  This year the element of superstition helped to swell the orders.  When the verse said,

     “The August born, without this stone,
      ’Tis said must live unloved and lone,”

of course no girl born in August would think of living a week longer without a sardonyx, especially when the catalogue offered the genuine article as low as $2.75.  The daughters of April and May, July and September had to pay more for their privileges, but they did it gladly.  When Cornie Dean read,

     “Who wears an emerald all her life
      Shall be a loved and honoured wife,”

she sold her pet bangle bracelet that afternoon for ten dollars, and added half her month’s allowance to buy an emerald large enough to hold some potency.

Mary pored over the catalogue longingly when it came her turn to have it.  She liked her verse: 

     “Who on this world of ours their eyes
      In March first open shall be wise. 
      In days of peril firm and brave,
      And wear a bloodstone to their grave.”

When she had considered sizes and prices for awhile she took out her bank book and Christmas list and began comparing them anxiously.  Betty, coming into the room presently, found her so absorbed in her task that she did not notice the open letter Betty carried, and the gay samples of chiffon and silk fluttering from the envelope.  She looked up with a little puckered smile as Betty drew a chair to the opposite side of the table, asking as she seated herself, “What’s the matter?  You seem to be in some difficulty.”

“It’s just the same old wolf at the door,” said Mary, soberly.  “I have enough for this term’s expenses, all the necessary things, but there’s nothing for the extras.  There isn’t a single person I can cut off my Christmas list.  I’ve put down what I’ve decided to make for each one, and what the bare materials will cost, and although I’ve added it up and added it down, it always comes out the same; nothing left to get the ring with.”

She sat jabbing her pencil into the paper for a moment.  “I wish there were ways to earn money here as there are at some schools.  There are so many things I need it for.  They’ll expect me to contribute something to the mock Christmas tree fund, and I want to get Jack something nice.  I couldn’t take his own money to buy him a present even if there were enough, which there isn’t.  I’ve already made him everything I know how to make, that he can use, and men don’t care for things they can’t use, but that are just pretty, as girls do.  Just look what a beauty bright of a watch-fob I’ve found in this catalogue.”