The Clever Woman of the Family

And though Ermine was too honest to say she was sorry, Rachel did not

miss the regret.

Colonel Keith came the next day, and under his arm was a parcel, which

was laid in little Rose's arms, and, when unrolled, proved to contain a

magnificent wax doll, no doubt long the object of unrequited attachment

to many a little Avoncestrian, a creature of beauteous and unmeaning

face, limpid eyes, hair that could be brushed, and all her members

waxen, as far as could be seen below the provisional habiliment of pink

paper that enveloped her. Little Rose's complexion became crimson, and

she did not utter a word, while her aunt, colouring almost as much,

laughed and asked where were her thanks.

"Oh!" with a long gasp, "it can't be for me!"

"Do you think it is for your aunt?" said the Colonel.

"Oh, thank you! But such a beautiful creature for me!" said Rose, with

another gasp, quite oppressed. "Aunt Ermine, how shall I ever make her

clothes nice enough?"

"We will see about that, my dear. Now take her into the verandah and

introduce her to Violetta."

"Yes;" then pausing and looking into the fixed eyes, "Aunt Ermine, I

never saw such a beauty, except that one the little girl left behind on

the bench on the esplanade, when Aunt Ailie said I should he coveting if

I went on wishing Violetta was like her."

"I remember," said Ermine, "I have heard enough of that 'ne plus ultra'

of doll! Indeed, Colin, you have given a great deal of pleasure, where

the materials of pleasure are few. No one can guess the delight a doll

is to a solitary imaginative child."

"Thank you," he said, smiling.

"I believe I shall enjoy it as much as Rose," added Ermine, "both for

play and as a study. Please turn my chair a little this way, I want to

see the introduction to Violetta. Here comes the beauty, in Rose's own

cloak."

Colonel Keith leant over the back of her chair and silently watched, but

the scene was not quite what they expected. Violetta was sitting in

her "slantingdicular" position on her chair placed on a bench, and her

little mistress knelt down before her, took her in her arms, and began

to hug her.

"Violetta, darling, you need not be afraid! There is a new beautiful

creature come, and I shall call her Colinette, and we must be very kind

to her, because Colonel Keith is so good, and knows your grandpapa; and

to tell you a great secret, Violetta, that you must not tell Colinette

or anybody, I think he is Aunt Ermine's own true knight."

"Hush!" whispered the Colonel, over Ermine's head, as he perceived her

about to speak.

"So you must be very good to her, Violetta, and you shall help me make

her clothes; but you need not be afraid I ever could love any one half

or one quarter as much as you, my own dear child, not if she were ten

times as beautiful, and so come and show her to Augustus. She'll never

be like you, dear old darling."