“The señoritas have no use for them,” exclaimed the duenna, frowning; but the young girls found that they fitted so nicely, and looked so pretty, they bought them.
“Papa is rich enough to give us any thing we want, and we fancy these,” said Rosebud. They bought strings of beads, ribbons, and combs for their hair, until the old duenna was nearly frantic. What they could want of all these, shut up as they were, she could not tell.
Then Rosebud said:—“We will have some new dresses;” so they bought fine white muslin and lace. Snowdrop bought a bright-colored handkerchief, which she gave the duenna, who was so much pleased that she promised to help them make their dresses.
As soon as the old woman went away, they all sat upon the piazza, shaded with vines, and commenced cutting and stitching upon the delicate fabric so busily, that by evening the skirts of their dresses were quite finished.
The next morning they were early at work again.
“Why do you hurry so much,” said the duenna, who never liked to work very long at a time.
“To have it over the sooner, dear duenna,” answered Snowdrop, smiling so sweetly that the duenna took her needle again quite pleasantly.
Snowdrop’s dress was trimmed with blue ribbon, Rosebud’s with crimson and gold. The young girls wrought upon them all their pretty fancies, till, when they were finished, the duenna thought them beautiful enough for a queen.
At evening the work was all done; and the duenna, quite fatigued with her unaccustomed task, sat dozing in her arm-chair.
Suddenly she roused herself, exclaiming:—“How warm it is! I am very thirsty.”