large and profusely
trimmed with pink ribbon, out of one of the coloured pictures of which
she seemed so fond. It was a pity, Madge thought, that her face,
instead of being pretty and smiling, as the ladies are always
represented in fashion-papers, was ugly and cross-looking. And a pair
of very dirty gray kid gloves, with most of their buttons off, did not
improve her appearance by any means.

"I do hope she intends to buy some new gloves before she has any more
smart dresses or hats made," Madge could not help thinking.

In the meantime Miss Block was walking slowly round, or to speak more
correctly, turning on her heels, in the middle of the tiny shop. "You
don't seem to have much choice of fashion-papers here," she said rudely.

Madge did not reply, for the very excellent reason that she had not an
idea what fashion-papers Mrs. Winter kept.

"Haven't you anything more stylish than this?" inquired Miss Block,
picking up an illustrated magazine off the counter, and pointing
contemptuously to the picture of two ladies in their best dresses on
the cover. "I'm going to several parties and bazaars," she explained,
"and, of course, I don't want to look a regular dowdy."

"No, I see you don't," said Madge, staring at the enormous pink hat,
and then without intending it her eyes suddenly fell to the dirty gray
kid gloves.

Miss Block evidently thought that the little girl was intentionally
trying to make her feel uncomfortable. She became very red, and
hurriedly hid her hands in the folds of her skirt.

"If you will kindly give me what I asked for at once, instead of
standing there giggling at your betters, I'll be very much obliged to
you," she said, speaking even more disagreeably than before.

Madge was quite taken aback by this address. She never had the least
intention of behaving rudely, although it was true that in the bottom
of her heart she did not at all admire Miss Block's appearance. Still,
she had not meant to show her feelings so plainly. While she stood
speechless, wondering how she could best beg her customer's pardon,
Miss Block burst out into a storm of abuse that would better have
befitted a neglected street child than such a very smartly dressed
young woman.

"You just wait a bit till I see your grandmother!" she cried. "I'll
soon give her a bit of my mind for leaving such a vulgar chit of a
child in charge of her shop! It's my own fault I suppose for coming to
such a low place instead