A sufficient stock of envelopes was laid in.
"Mamma," said Ellen, "what do you think of a little note- paper?"
"Who are the notes to be written to, Ellen?" said Mrs.
Montgomery smiling.
"You needn't smile, Mamma; you know, as you said, if I don't know now, perhaps I shall by-and-by. Miss Allen's desk had note-paper that made me think of it."
"So shall yours, daughter; while we are about it, we will do the thing well. And your note-paper will keep quite safely in this nice little place provided for it, even if you should not want to use a sheet of it in half-a-dozen years."
"How nice that is!" said Ellen, admiringly.
"I suppose the note-paper must have envelopes too," said Mrs.
Montgomery.
"To be sure, Mamma; I suppose so," said Ellen, smiling; "Miss
Allen's had."
"Well, now we have got all the paper we want, I think," said Mrs. Montgomery; "the next thing is ink or an inkstand, rather."
Different kinds were presented for her choice.