The brougham stopped at her signal, and Mrs. Douglas went into an immense toy-shop, while Lily watched the movements of a little girl who had attracted her. The child was thin and pale; an old ragged sacque was her only outer garment, and the sleeves were so short that half her arms were exposed; on her head was an old untrimmed straw hat; on her feet shoes large enough for a woman; a faded bit of cotton cloth was twisted about her neck; in her hand was a broom, made of a bundle of sticks, such as street-sweepers use. She would make a hasty dash at the snow, and then, as if struggling between duty and pleasure, would rush from her sweeping to the shop window, and gaze with an eager and fascinated intentness at the toys within. Lily looked at her until she became tired; then, impatient of restraint, she jumped out of the carriage, and went into the shop after her mother; but Mrs. Douglas was down at the end of the counter, surrounded by people, and in front of Lily, near the door, was a basket of dolls gazing up at her with bewitchingly inviting glances. She began to name them—Jessie, Matilda, Clarissa, Marguerite, Cleopatra—no, she concluded, she wouldn't have Cleopatra. What should this other darling be named?—Rosamond.
"Do you think Rosamond a pretty name?" said a timid little voice near her. It came from the girl she had watched from the carriage window.
"Well, not very," answered Lily; "but you see I have such a large family that I don't know what to call them all. What name do you like best?"
"Oh, I like almost anything—something short and sweet for such beauties. Ain't they lovely? and are they all really yours?"
"I'm playing they are mine, and that I keep an orphan asylum. Don't you want to be a nurse?"
"Oh, if you'd let me!—but I'm too dirty."
"No matter for that. See how the darlings smile at you. I mean to ask mamma to buy them all. See, I can get one in my muff: she goes in beautifully."
"So she does; but I like the one that's asleep best. She's awful cunning. Have they any teeth, and real hair?"
"They are just cutting their teeth, and that's the reason I want a good nurse; they are so troublesome. They haven't much hair, just a little bang under their caps."
"A little what?"