"I don't suppose I could ever make her understand that she'd be lots happier if she'd just let go and stop thinking that God has a grudge against her."
CHAPTER XVII.
A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE.
At six o'clock that evening a mouse's tail brushed Molly's door.
"Come in, little one," called Molly, recognizing Otoyo's tap. "My, how dressed up you are!" she cried as the little Japanese appeared in the doorway blushing and hesitating.
"You like it? This is real American young lady's toilet. It came from a greatly big store in New York."
Molly felt a real regret sometimes in correcting Otoyo's funny English. Was not the Brown family careful for many years to call bears "b'ars" just because the youngest brother said it when he was a little child?
"But why did you wear your pink cashmere this evening, dear?" she asked.
"Ah, but this is a holidee. In Japan we wear always best on holidee."
"Then I must dress up, too, I suppose," remarked Molly, sighing, "and I had thought to let myself off easy to-night, Otoyo. But I couldn't appear before Mrs. Murphy in this old garment and you so resplendent. What shall I wear, chicken?" she asked, pinching Otoyo's cheek.