Montague
family.

On a lounge by the parlor fire sits an elegant lady, who is rather
skimpy about the wig, and therefore holds the honorable post of mamma to
the family; as this circumstance, combined with her looking excessively
inky about the nose, gives her a somewhat aged and anxious appearance.
She wears a blue silk dress with five flounces, a lace cap, and a watch
and chain; and her name is Mrs. Charles Augustus Montague. Her husband,
_Mr._ Charles Augustus, is a china doll with a crop of rather scrubby
flaxen hair, which can be combed and brushed as much as Lina chooses.
Although he is so rich, he has only one suit of clothes, and must even
go to parties in a pair of checked gingham trowsers, a red vest, and a
blue coat with brass buttons! He is supposed to be down town at present,
which circumstance is represented by his being unceremoniously thrust
into a corner upside down.

Several smaller wax and china boys and girls represent the family of the
ill-used Mr. Montague; but the belle of the whole doll-community is his
eldest daughter, Miss Isabella Belmont Montague. She is a waxen young
lady of the most splendid description; her hair is arranged like the
empress', whom, indeed, she greatly resembles; her feet and hands are of
wax, and she has more dresses than I can possibly count. I am afraid you
will scarcely believe me, but she actually has a real little ermine muff
and tippet, a pair of india-rubbers, an umbrella, a camels' hair shawl,
and _real corsets_! and was won, with all her wardrobe, at one of the
raffles in the great Union Bazaar. You went there, didn't you--you
cunning little kitten? and saw all the dolls? I hope you got one too, so
I do, certainly!

[Illustration: LINA MAKING DOLLS' CLOTHES.]

Besides the Montague family, there is a numerous colony of other dolls;
but they, poor things, live in any corner where Lina chooses to put
them; and all day Sunday are shut up in a dark closet, with nothing to
do but count their fingers and toes, if they can contrive to see them;
though they have nearly as fine a wardrobe--for Lina's great amusement,
next to playing with the whole colony, is to make new dresses for them.

One Saturday afternoon, Lina was playing with her dolls in the baby
house, with two of her little neighbors, Minnie and Maggie Elliott, to
keep her company. It was a dark, rainy sort of day; but what difference
did that make to the children? _They_ never wanted to make a parcel of
s