shows me now
and then. But I know if I had a real flower I could copy it; so she'd
see I did know something, for I try real hard. I'm SO tired of slopping
round the streets, I'd do anything to earn my living some other way."

Lizzie had poured out her trouble rapidly; and the little story was
quite affecting when one saw the tears on her cheeks, the poor clothes,
and the thin hands that held the stolen rose. Belle was much touched,
and, in her impetuous way, set about mending matters as fast as
possible.

"Put on those boots and that pair of dry stockings right away. Then tuck
as much cake and fruit into your pocket as it will hold. I'm going to
get you some flowers, and see if mamma is too busy to attend to me."

With a nod and a smile, Belle flew about the room a minute; then
vanished, leaving Lizzie to her comfortable task, feeling as if fairies
still haunted the world as in the good old times.

When Belle came back with a handful of roses, she found Lizzie absorbed
in admiring contemplation of her new boots, as she ate sponge-cake in a
blissful sort of waking-dream.

"Mamma can't come; but I don't care about the hat. It will do very well,
and isn't worth fussing about. There, will those be of any use to you?"
And she offered the nosegay with a much happier face than the one Lizzie
first saw.

"Oh, miss, they're just lovely! I'll copy that pink rose as soon as ever
I can, and when I've learned how to do 'em tip-top, I'd like to bring
you some, if you don't mind," answered Lizzie, smiling all over her face
as she buried her nose luxuriously in the fragrant mass.

"I'd like it very much, for I should think you'd have to be very clever
to make such pretty things. I really quite fancy those rosebuds in my
hat, now I know that you're going to learn how to make them. Put an
orange in your pocket, and the flowers in water as soon as you can, so
they'll be fresh when you want them. Good-by. Bring home our hats every
time and tell me how you get on."

With kind words like these, Belle dismissed Lizzie, who ran downstairs,
feeling as rich as if she had found a fortune. Away to the next place
she hurried, anxious to get her errands done and the precious posy
safely into fresh water. But Mrs. Turretviile was not at home, and the
bonnet could not be left till paid for. So Lizzie turned to go down the
high steps, glad that she need not wait. She stopped one instant to take
a delicious sniff at her flowers, and that was t