“But you could let the hem down, or put in insertion, or something,” said Peggy.
“But the waist is too small for you, and the dress will be just right for Alice.”
The pink dress and the plaid one were too small for Peggy, too, so Alice became the proud possessor of Peggy’s frocks, which would fit her very well after tucks had been taken in them.
“I’ve three pink dresses now and four white ones and two plaids and a yellow,” said Alice.
“And I’ve nothing at all,” said Peggy.
“It’s too bad,” said Alice, “but yours will all be new.”
The first chance Mrs. Owen had to go to the village she said she would buy the materials for Peggy’s summer frocks.
“I’ve got to get something for working dresses for myself, too,” she said.
She took the children with her, and they had a joyous time, for it was one of those sunshiny afternoons when everything was so gay and cheerful that it seemed to Peggy as if the whole world were smiling. The sun seemed positively to laugh, and the blue sky and the white clouds seemed almost as glad as he. Alice walked quietly along, taking hold of her mother’s hand; but Peggy had to run along ahead of them every now and then. She wanted to dance and shout with the joy of it all.
“Oh, Mother, there’s Mrs. Butler and her canary-bird,” said Peggy, as they passed a small gray house. “Let’s stop and make her a call.”