THE DOLL AND HER FRIENDS. Sl

them, and that I must be put away during school
hours.

Though I did not think that the fault was alto-
gether mine, I quite acquiesced in the wisdom of this
decree ; for during Rose’s last reading-lesson she
had stopped so often to ask me which [I liked best,
Lycurgus or Solon, Pericles or Alcibiades, &c., that
Margaret was almost out of patience. And though
{ made no answer, and had really no choice at all
between the characters, I felt that I rather hin-
dered business.

I was therefore now left to myself for several
hours in the morning ; but I found ample and plea-
sant employment in surveying the comforts and
beauties of my habitation. For I was not forced
to perform the part of an insignificant pigmy in the
vast abodes of the colossal race of man: I possessed
a beautiful little house proportioned to my size, plea-
santly situated on a table in the furthest corner of
the school-room, and commanding an extensive view
of the whole apartment.

I must describe my house at full length. It
had been originally, as I heard, a mere rough pack-
ing-case ; but what of that? The best brick house
in London was once but clay in the fields; and
my packing-case was now painted outside and pa-
pered inside, and fitted up in a manner every way