MRS. MODESTY AND THE MAGNIFYING GLASS. 35

Hope, unlike the other two sisters, had a face which could only
be spoken of as bright lke the rising sun. <A wonderful heht seemed
to dance in her blue eyes. It was impossible to make her feel really
sad about anything. When people told her very sorrowful tales, she
only said, ‘‘ Never mind; matters will soon be better. Cheer up, do
cheer up! Clouds never last long. The world is a very good place,
and travellers to the country beyond the Mountains have a very good
time here, and a splendid time awaiting them there.”

So these three sisters, with the story of each written on their
faces, came out now to speed the children on their way.

Charity and Hope came forward, and slipped the long, pretty,
white dresses on each of the little travellers.

“You won’t be so tired when you wear these,” they said; “and
those who see you will know you for what you are.”

“What are we?” asked Cowslip, raising her dear little face, and
looking full into Charity’s eyes.

“Children of the King,” she said, stooping down and kissing the
little girl. “ Don’t forget that, or your pretty white dresses will get
grey and ugly. Keep that in mind, and they will shine and be bright
and fair and white. And now go, my children, go, for we three sisters
want you to be a long way on your journey before night.”

“ But we must give the children their gifts first,’ said Hope, her
eyes dancing as she spoke. ‘Here, my darlings, here is a bunch of
flowers from me. ‘Take it and do not lose it. These are very choice
flowers, for they do not need to be kept in water, and they do not
wither. They have a beautiful smell, too; and if you feel famt and
very hot, as soon as ever you smell these flowers you will get cool and
refreshed. If you feel very sleepy and overdone, smell the flowers and
you will become wide awake and quite refreshed, as though you had
just had a long sleep. This bunch of flowers is my gift to you
both.”

“And this is mine,” said Faith, coming up to Clover and looking
him full m the face. ‘ Here is a little glass,” she said. “See, it is
preserved carefully im this red case. Shp it into your pocket. This
glass has the power of magnifying things, and when you want to know

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