THE DOLL AND HER FRIENDS. 9

natured little sister. ‘“ Poor dear Willy, how many
more amusements I have than he !”

She bought the best paint-box, and received
sixpence in change.

“Is there any thing else I can shew you ?” asked
the shopkeeper.

“No, thank you,” she replied; and turning to
the elder lady, she said, “ May we go home at once,
Mama? It would take me a long time to choose
what I shall spend my sixpence in, and I should
like to give Willy his paint-box directly.”

“ By all means,” answered the lady ; “we will
lose no time; and I will bring you again to spend
the sixpence whenever you please.”

Without one backward glance towards the beau-
tiful doll, the child tripped away by the side of her
companion, looking the brightest and happiest of
her kind.

I pondered long upon this circumstance; how
long I cannot say, for dolls are unable to measure
time, they can only date from any particularly strik-
ing epochs. For instance, we can say, “Such an
affair happened before I lost my leg ;” or, “Such an
event took place before my new wig was put on;
but of the intricate divisions known to mortals by
the names of hours, days, months, &c., we have no
idea.