There were two ladies, one in stately
handsome slight mourning, the other more quietly dressed, and two or
three boys; but what Elizabeth wanted her to look at was a little
girl of nine years old, who was walking beside the lady. Her hat was
black chip, edged and tied with rose-coloured ribbon, and adorned
with a real bird, with glass eyes, black plumage, except the red
crest and wings. She wore a neatly-fitting little fringed black
polka, beneath which spread out in fan-like folds her flounced pink
muslin, coming a little below her knees, and showing her worked
drawers, which soon gave place to her neat stockings and dainty
little boots. She held a small white parasol, bordered with pink,
and deeply fringed, over her head, and held a gold-clasped Prayer-
Book in her hand; and Miss Fosbrook heard a little sigh, which told
her that this was the being whom Elizabeth Merrifield thought the
happiest in the world. She hoped it was not all for the fine
clothes; and Sam muttered,
"What a little figure of fun!"
Martin and Osmond Greville went daily to Mr. Carey's, like Sam and
Hal, so the boys ran on to them; and Mrs.
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