Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by
PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO.,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
STEREOTYPED BY
HOBART & ROBBINS,
New England Type and Stereotype Foundry,
BOSTON.
HOW THE STORY CAME TO BE WRITTEN.
One evening, last summer, a little girl, with laughing eyes that no one could resist, looked up into my face, and said,
"'Touldn't you wite me a story?"
"Yes. What shall it be about?" was the answer.
"O, wite something I could wead myself,--something with pictures,--something like Tom Thumb, you know; and I shouldn't care if it had pink covers, too, and wasn't larger than--this." And she held up the palm of a rosy hand.