“Good-afternoon, Mistress Mason,” said Rose; “this is my friend, little Anne Nelson, from Province Town.”
“Not so very little, as I view it. Fully as large as I am myself. I should call her large; that is, large for a girl,” responded the little white-haired woman, who was rather sensitive in regard to her size. “I see you wear good shoes,” she continued, peering over the low counter and pointing a tiny finger toward Anne’s feet. “I know my own shoes when I see ’em,” and she laughed pleasantly. “My brother makes every shoe I sell; makes ’em right back here in his own shop, as Miss Rose Freeman well knows.”
“Yes, indeed,” answered Rose, “and Mistress Mason makes dolls, Anne—all those fine ones near the door.”
“All but the ones with china heads; I make only bodies for the heads. The china heads come from France and cost me dear. But they are good bodies, as you can see, my dears; with joints where joints should be, and with feet and hands of soft kid. ’Tis some work, I do assure you, young ladies, to stitch fingers and toes as fingers and toes should be stitched,” and Mistress Mason looked very serious indeed. “And as for making dolls with kid-covered heads, and then painting their faces and giving a good expression to eyes and mouths, I do feel that it’s almost beyond me. I do indeed!”
The little old lady trotted briskly across the shop and unfastening several dolls from the line held them toward her visitors. “Now here is Lady Melissa Melvina,” and Anne saw that on each of the white cards was written the name belonging to the doll on whose sleeve the card was pinned. “Lady Melissa Melvina is all kid,” went on Mistress Mason, “head, body, feet and fingers; and every stitch she wears is of the best. She’s worth twenty shillings. But——!” and Mistress Mason made an impressive pause and shook her head. “Could I get that amount? No. So, though ’tis far too little, you may have her for ten shillings six,” and she smiled as if she were really bestowing a gift upon them.
“We did not come to buy a doll, Mistress Mason, although I’m sure Anne would like greatly to have so fine a doll as this; but we want to purchase a book,” said Rose.
The little old woman was evidently disappointed. “A book, indeed,” she responded. “I know not what is coming to people. Everybody, even the very children, are asking for books. We can hardly keep our shelf neatly filled, and I have half a mind not to keep them. Many a person who should buy a stout pair of shoes puts the money in books,” and she shook her head as if not understanding such folly.
“’Tis for a present,” responded Rose, as if to excuse their purchase, “to a lady who lives in the country and is much alone.”