38 The Fairy Godmothers.

her Mother, “I am come to fay that your Go-
vernefs told me yefterday you had been fo very
good for a long time over all that you have had to
do, that I have arranged for your having a holiday
and a treat to-day, and feveral of your young friends
are coming to fee you. Among them is Aurora,
the granddaughter of the old lady in fpeétacles,
who, juft before fhe was going away at night, re-
collected you, and began to look for you behind
her chair.”

“‘ Oh what a goofe, Mamma!” “ No, not a
goofe, my dear—only an oddity, but a very kind
one too—for fhe defired me to find out whether
you really did roll up the whole of the ravelled
worfted laft night; and if you really perfevered till
it was finifhed, I have fomething to give you from
her, but not otherwife. How was it?” ‘Oh, its
finifhed, Mamma ; afk Nurfe ; for when I rolled it
againft her foot laft night, fhe took it for a great
black dog.” ‘ Well then, I fuppofe this is yours,
Hermione ; but, I muft fay, I never knew a gold
thimble earned fo eafily.” Yes, dear little readers,
it was a pretty gold thimble, and round the bottom
of it there was a rim of white enamel, and on the
enamel were gold letters.

* L’induftrie ajoute 4 la beauté.”

“* Mamma,” faid Hermione, looking at it in
delight, as the found it exactly fitted her finger,
* it’s lovely ; but, do you know, I think the old
lady ought to have given it to her granddaughter,