102 ROTH.

“What! you contradict me?” Miss Maria exclaimed.
_ “Go to your room, and stay there till I call you.”

“Oh, sister!’ Miss Sophia interposed again.

“Sophia, remember that I am the eldest, and in that rela-
tion must beg leave to have my prerogatives respected,” said
Miss Maria, in a dignified tone.

Miss Sophia lapsed into silence, and Ruth left the room,.
with a storm of indignation in her little heart.

“JT will not stay here; I will run away!” she said, passion-
ately, as she shut the door of her room. “I don’t care what.
becomes of me.” And hastily putting on her hat and coat,
she fled down-stairs and out the front door, which closed softly
after her. Down the street she sped away from it all; where,.
she did not think. She soon found herself in the busy part
of the city among the shops, and suddenly remembered one
in the window of which were some lovely dolls; it might
comfort her to look at them, even if she were never to be the
fortunate possessor of anything so beautiful. There was one
in pink which stood among the others, upon which her eyes
feasted ; she almost forgot her sorrow in the contemplation of
this lovely object. It was very hard to hear the other girls
talk of their dolls, their doll-parties, this pretty new gown or
hat which mother or sister had made for this or that favorite
dolly, and then to think of the two poor little six-inch creat-
ures. which were all the dolls lonely little Ruth owned. It
was even difficult to get pieces to dress them in, for Miss Maria