tty went to town at the end of the
Midsummer Fair, and brought some of the prettiest toys and books which
had been seen in this country for a long time; amongst these was a
jointed doll with flaxen hair, and a history of the Bible full of
coloured pictures, exceedingly pretty. Soon after Betty brought these
things home, Mrs. Howard said to her: 'Betty, you must make a cake and
put some plums in it, and a large apple-pie, and some custards and
cheesecakes; and we will invite Master and Miss Cartwright, and Master
Bennet and his sister Miss Polly, and some other children, to spend a
day with us; and before they go home, we will give those who have
behaved well during the day some of those pretty toys which you brought
from the Midsummer Fair.'

"Accordingly, Betty made the cake, and the cheesecakes, and custards,
and the large apple-pie; and Mrs. Howard sent to invite Master and Miss
Cartwright, and Master Bennet and his sister, to spend the next day
with her.

"In those days little misses did not wear muslin or linen frocks,
which, when they are dirtied, may easily be washed and made clean
again; but they wore stuff, silk, and satin slips, with lace or gauze
ruffles, and bibs, and aprons, and little round caps with artificial
flowers. Children were then taught to be very careful never to dirty
their best clothes, and to fold them up very smooth when they pulled
them off.

"When Mrs. Bennet received Mrs. Howard's invitation for her children,
she called them to her, and said:

"'My dears, you are to go to-morrow to see Mrs. Howard; and I have been
told that she has by her some very pretty toys, which she means to give
away to those children who please her best. You have seen the gilt
coach-and-four which she gave last year to Miss Cartwright, and the
little watch which Master Cartwright received from her last Christmas;
and why should not you also have some of these fine toys? Only try to
please the old lady to-morrow, and I dare say she will give you some;
for I am sure you are quite as good as Master and Miss Cartwright,
though you are not quite so sly.'

"'Oh!' said Master Bennet, 'I should like to get the toys, if it was
only to triumph over Master Cartwright. But what must we do to please
Mrs. Howard?'

"'Why,' said Mrs. Bennet, 'when your best things are put on to-morrow,
you must take care not to rumple or soil them before you appear in Mrs.
Howard's presence; and when you come into her parlour you must stop