COMMENCING ACQUAINTANCE,

down and Fairdown, and the principal
families residing therein.

In the mean time, Fanny and Arthur were
making advances towards Martha. Martha
was not at all shy, and had a little old-
fashioned way of moving and ‘speaking,
which made Arthur inclined to laugh. He
thought she was very much like her grand-
mamma. Fanny thought it was because
she was not dressed like other little girls;
but wore a thick stiff silk frock, made long,
like a woman, and a silk bonnet, with large
bows on it, instead of a straw hat, with pink
strings, like her own, and a plain pink ging-
ham frock, with white trousers, such as she
wore. Fanny thought it was a pity that
Martha was dressed so, because it did not
look pretty. Arthur did not notice her
dress, but he saw she was quite different
from any other little girl he had ever seen.
She walked along with her head very
upright, and carried a reticule in her hand,
just like an old lady. Once, when she
dropped this reticule, Arthur stooped down

57