"Oh, not into a common stocking!" said Nelly; "into one of my grandpa's stockings. Mamma always hangs his stockings up for us at Christmas."
Mrs. Williams was still more perplexed.
"Why, child," she said, "how big is your grandpa? Is he a giant?"
"Oh, no!" laughed Nelly, "he isn't very big; but these are great stockings he had made to sleep in. They come all the way up his legs,—both parts of his leg,—way up above his knee, as far as his legs go, so as to keep him warm when he's asleep. He doesn't sleep in any night-gown."
Mrs. Williams laughed heartily at this, and was about to ask Nelly some other questions, when the storekeeper interrupted her with:—
"Can't stand here all day, mum. Do ye want the dolls or not: say quick."
Mrs. Williams was not accustomed to be spoken to in this manner, and she looked at him in surprise.
"Oh!" he said, in answer to her look, "you ain't in the East, you'll find out. We Western men've got too much to do to dangle round all day on a single trade. Do ye want the dolls? If not, I'll take 'em back."
"I am sorry you are in such a hurry all the time, sir," said Mrs. Williams, slowly: "it must be very disagreeable. I will take one of these dolls as soon as this little girl has decided which one is the prettiest."
"Oh, the white-muslin-gown one, ever so much," exclaimed Nelly.