24 THE DOLL AND HER FRIENDS.

CHAPTER II.

A VERY different life now opened before me. I had
no longer any pretence for complaining of neglect.
My young mistress devoted every spare moment to
the enjoyment of my company, and set no limits to
her caresses and compliments; while I in return
regarded her with all the gratitude and affection
which a doll can feel. My faculties as well as my
feelings were called into fresh exercise; for though
I had no longer the wide range of observation
afforded by the daily crowd of strangers in the
bazaar, I had the new advantage of making inti-
mate acquaintance with a small circle of friends.

Having hitherto been so completely without any
position in the world, I could not at first help feel-
ing rather shy at the idea of taking my place as
member of a family; and it was therefore a relief
to find that my lot was not cast amongst total
strangers, but that I had already some slight clue
to the characters of my future companions.

My mistress, whose name was Rose, was sister
to the Willy for whom she had bought the paint-
box, and. also to Edward, the purchaser of the .