"I was going to rip it for a pattern," answered Rosa, mildly.
"I suppose you think I could not cut out a frock nice enough for a little Paddy boy," said Mrs. Maxwell.
"Oh no, I did not think that!" Rosa replied, smiling; "I should be very glad to have you help us."
Mrs. Maxwell took the scissors, and the frocks were soon cut out, much to Rosa's relief, for although she had resolved to do it, it was her first attempt at dressmaking, and she was afraid that she should only spoil the cloth.
Then the sewing commenced, and the needles flew so fast that there was little time for talking. Lucy was allowed to make the skirt, and she sewed it as carefully as if it had been an apron for her doll, and that was very nicely. Mrs. Maxwell put on her spectacles and began to sew too, much to Rosa's surprise; and once she offered to turn the hem for Lucy, when she saw that she was troubled. It seemed as if the work they were doing put them all in a good humour, for every face was bright and happy. Even Harty felt as if he had something to do in the business, and instead of fidgeting about as usual, annoying everybody, he sat very still for some time, doing no harm, but breaking off thread from the ball and tying it into knots. At last he said, "Shall I read to you?"
"Yes, do," said Rosa and Lucy, both at once.
"Well, I will, if Lucy will get my Natural History off my table."
Lucy jumped up in a moment, and ran for the book: the hall-lamp showed her the way until she got to the room door, and then, by the faint starlight, she easily found the volume. There were other books which Rosa would have preferred, and Harty was a very dull reader; but she listened patiently, and got quite interested at last in an account of an elephant that went mad in London, a favourite story with Harty.
Lucy was very sorry when bed-time arrived; but there was not a word to be said, for Mrs. Maxwell put the lamp in her hand, and bade her "Good night" most decidedly.
As Lucy entered her own pretty room, she thought of little Judy watching beside her dead mother in that poor cottage, and she wondered that it had never struck her before that God had surrounded her with so many blessings.