"When I was a child we didn't smash up handsome toys the way children do nowadays. They weren't so easy to get."
"And didn't your niece ever have a little girl?" asked Flossie, beginning to think that in such a case perhaps these dear dishes might come to be her own.
"Yes, she did," replied Miss Fletcher kindly, and as she looked at the guest's interested little face her eyes were thoughtful. "I shall give them to her some day."
"Has she ever seen them?" asked Hazel.
"Once. I thought you children must be hungry after your games, and you'd like a little lunch."
This idea was so pleasing to Hazel that Flossie caught her enthusiasm.
"You'll be the mistress and pour, Flossie, and I'll be the waitress," she said. "Won't it be the most fun! I suppose, ma'am, you'll like to have the children come to the table?" she added, with sudden respectfulness of tone.
"Yes," returned Flossie, with elegant languor. "I think it teaches them good manners."
And then the waitress forgot herself so far as to hop up and down; for Miss Fletcher, who had returned to the house, now reappeared bearing a tray of eatables and drinkables.
What a good time the children had, with the sewing-table for a sideboard, and the lap-table fixed firmly across Flossie's chair.