s it had not done for many generations. There was more
untidiness, uproar, and trouble in one week now than had been seen in
three years before. As for the poor old nursery, how Mrs. Warren could
come in as calmly, and smile as she did, seeming pleased at all the
disorder and her little girl's high spirits--_rudeness_, _we_ called
it--we could never understand. The poor Fan used to wave mournfully at
me sometimes with the few sticks she had left, and really I almost
believe we half regretted our old quiet. Miss Nelly was more fond of the
Fan than anything, and gave it plenty of employment, almost wearing it
out in doing so; but she turned up her little pert nose at me, and
called me a prosy old drone! Yes, actually, you may well be surprised,
but after I had been spinning with all my might, and humming the best
air I knew, she would push me roughly from her, and go off to something
else. To be sure it was her way with everything, for she brought home a
number of pretty Indian toys, all made of wood, and painted in very gay
colours with beautiful varnish; but these she utterly despised and flung
about. They would have been quite tip-top society at a bazaar or in a
fancy fair, and the poor things felt their degradation keenly, only
being foreigners, they could not make themselves so easily understood.
But I could repeat such tales to you that they told me of their native
country, and their makers!"

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XIV.

THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION.

Just at this moment the Humming Top was suddenly interrupted by a
violent, loud noise which checked his humming pretty quickly, and
startled all the rest of the toys so much, that they rolled and rattled
back into their shelter, the toy cupboard, as speedily as they could.

"Vich of the painters is a coming to-morrow, Seusan, my child," said old
Mrs. Jones, the charwoman, as she popped her head in at the door, and
held up a tall dip in a tin candlestick to see if all was safe.

"Well, I thought I'd a shet up these here windows," said she, "but I
s'pose I didn't, and the wind must have blowed the cupboard door open,
and sent these here old playthings all over the room. Come in, my dear,
and just help me to put them in again, will ye?"

And with Susan's help, old Mrs. Jones made a complete, clean sweep of
all the poor dilapidated toys, huddled them roughly back into their
cupboard, and shut the door, not only turning the button firml