The old gardener called them and said that each little girl was to be allowed to choose one entire suit for her doll. What a scramble they made for the various trees, though it was very hard to decide, for everything was so pretty.
Janie looked a long time before she could quite make up her mind, but finally chose a pink dress with pink stockings and slippers, and a hat with elegant pink plumes waving upon it; a fan and chatelaine completed this costume. She chose also the dear pink parasol she had so much wanted before. There were also stunning coats and opera capes with swan’s-down trimming, and one tree full of dear little muffs.
The handkerchief tree looked too funny, with the tiny white things fluttering about like a flock of birds with wings spread ready to fly.
It was a hard matter to leave this enchanting place, but as the sun was getting low they gathered up their baskets, presented the gardener with some of their candy, and with many thanks and good-bys departed.
When they reached home they told the Queen they never in all their lives had had such a beautiful time, and, thanking her very heartily for giving them so much pleasure, they went to their homes “to tell mamma all about it.”
The days flew merrily by, and before they realized it the month was almost gone. When Janie stopped to think of those happy times being no more, she was ready to cry her eyes out, but she put away the thought, determined to enjoy them while they lasted. One morning at breakfast papa said:
“Mamma, I think we must wind up these remarkable doings with something pretty fine. How would it do to hire several carriages and take the whole caboodle of these chicks, with their wound-up dolls, for a lovely day at the seashore? The various mothers, or rather grandmothers, of the dolls can go to see that they don’t get drowned. It is only a drive of ten or twelve miles to the beach. You can get dinner at the hotel. I will telegraph and have that arranged for. You can all have a plunge in the surf, and the babes can dig in the sand and paddle about, and have no end of a good time. How does that strike you, Janie?”
Janie replied by springing into his lap and giving him a hug that almost choked him.