Lucy thought that new meant nice, and whole, and clean, like things when they are first bought at the toy-shop or bookstore.
Miss Anne laughed at this mistake; for she meant that they would be new to her; that is, that she would have forgotten pretty much how they looked, and that she would take a new and fresh interest in looking at them.
Lucy looked a little disappointed when Anne explained that this was her meaning; but she said that she would carry up some of the things to the garret, if she only had a box to put them in.
Miss Anne said that she presumed that she could find some box or old trunk up there; and she gave Lucy a basket to put the things into, that were to be carried up.
So Lucy took the basket, and carried it into the entry; and she opened the doors of her treasury, and placed the basket down upon the floor before it.
Then she kneeled down herself upon the carpet, and began to take a survey of the scene of confusion before her.
She took out several blocks, which were lying upon the lower shelf, and also some large sheets of paper with great letters printed upon them. Her father had given them to her to cut the letters out, and paste them into little books. Next came a saucer, with patches of red, blue, green, and yellow, all over it, made with water colors, from Miss Anne’s paint-box. She put these things into the basket, and then sat still for some minutes, not knowing what to take next. Not being able to decide herself, she went back to ask Miss Anne.
“What things do you think I had better carry away, Miss Anne?” said she. “I can’t tell very well.”
“I don’t know what things you have got there, exactly,” said Miss Anne; “but I can tell you what kind of things I should take away.”
“Well, what kind?” said Lucy.