“Don’t you like her better than her mother?” asked Lena.
“Well, she doesn’t put on as many airs as her mother, and she’s acted, two or three times, as if she were going to speak to me, but I managed not to let her. I don’t want her acquaintance. I don’t want any of her coming down to me!”
“I suppose they have nice things, that they’ve brought with them, in their rooms,” said Carrie.
“Yes, Mrs. Randolph has an elegant blue satin pin-cushion, with morning-glories and apple-blossoms painted on it, and a dressing-case with white ivory combs and brushes, and they do your hair up lovely, for I fixed mine in her room yesterday with them.” This caused much merriment.
Lucindy proceeded to take from her pocket a pack of children’s cards, illuminated with gaily-dressed ladies and gentlemen, and queer-looking figures of all kinds. These caused a sensation; they looked incredulously at Lucindy, as she said:
“These are the things that make them laugh evenings. If we knew how to play them, we could have some of their kind of fun.”
They passed them to one another and examined them. They threw them aside presently, and returned to the subject of never-failing interest—the wardrobe of the boarders.
Carrie and Lena intimated more than once, that if they could only see something that city people really considered elegant, they would be satisfied, and forever indebted to Lucindy for the sight.
GRETCHEN TRAILING THE BEAUTIFUL MULL OVERSKIRT ON THE GROUND.