"Why yes, Anne; whose should it be?"
"So you have more than you want, and can actually throw it away?"
"Not throw it away, Anne; for these people, that these sheets are for, are miserably off. You would think so, if you saw them."
"I don't want to see anybody worse off than myself," said Letitia. "Why, what is that the child has got in her bosom, hanging to that ribband. What is it?—a watch, I declare! Gold? is it a gold watch really? Think of it, Anne!"
"It was one of my Christmas presents," said poor Matilda, hardly knowing what to say.
"How many other presents did you have?"
Matilda had to tell, though she had a feeling it would not be to the gratification of her sisters. They listened and looked, said little, but by degrees drew out from her all the history of the evening's entertainment.
"That's the way she lives," said Letitia to Anne. "That's the way she is going on; while you and I are making people's dresses."
"But aren't you getting on well?" asked their little sister, sorely bestead to make the conversation pleasant to them.
"We get work, and we do it," said Letitia. "And so make out to have some bread and butter with our tea."