one steps, made of sand-paper
glued over wood, leads up to the entrance. It has real sashes in the
windows, which open French fashion; a silver door-plate, with the name
of "Montague" upon it; and a little mat, about as large as a half
dollar, on the upper step! If we could make ourselves as small as dolls,
we might walk in, and find out that the hall has a dark wood floor, some
cunning little pictures hanging on the wall, a noble black walnut
staircase, and is lighted with a real little hall lamp.

The parlor, on one side of this hall, has a velvet carpet on the floor,
satin chairs and sofas, a centre table covered with tiny books, an
etagere full of ornaments, and a wicker-work flower stand filled with
flowers. Real little mantel and pier glasses are over the fire place,
and between the front windows, which are hung with elegant lace
curtains; and there is, besides, a piano-forte, a gold chandelier stuck
full of china wax-candles, and a little clock that can wind up--though
as to its going, that has to be imagined, for it obstinately represents
the time as a quarter to twelve, morning, noon, and night!

On the opposite side of the hall is the dining-room. It is furnished
with a fine side-board, holding a silver tea-set and some tiny glass
goblets and decanters; a round table, which is abominably disorderly, it
must be confessed, being spread with a table cloth all awry, and covered
with a grand dinner of wooden chickens and vegetables of various sorts;
a mould of yellow-glass jelly, and a pair of fancy fruit dishes, made of
cream candy. The dining-room chairs, with real leather seats, are
scattered about, and there is even the daily newspaper thrown down on
the floor, where the master of the house may have left it! Up stairs
there are three bedrooms, furnished in the same fashionable style; and,
in short, such an elegant doll's house is not to be found anywhere but
in a French toy shop. This one was brought from Paris by Lina's elder
brother, and set up in this very room last Christmas as a surprise for
his dear little sister. But it is time I should describe the family who
lived in this elegant mansion. So, little reader, if you will only take
fast hold of the end of the author's pen, shut up your eyes tight, and
then open them very quick on this page, heigh! presto! you and she will
be turned into little personages just the size of dolls, able to walk up
the brown stone steps, enter the house, and take a peep at the