howed her shoes to the servants, the cat, the doves, and
the flowers; and then opened the gate that the people in the street
might see the trim little feet she was so proud of. Now Poppy had been
forbidden to go out; but, when she saw Kitty Allen, her neighbor,
playing ball down the street, she forgot every thing but the desire to
show her new shoes; and away she went marching primly along as vain as a
little peacock, as she watched the bright buttons twinkle, and heard the
charming creak. Kitty saw her coming; and, being an ill-natured little
girl, took no notice, but called out to her brother Jack:

"Ain't some folks grand? If I couldn't have red shoes for my best, I
wouldn't have any, would you?"

They both laughed, and this hurt Poppy's feelings dreadfully. She tossed
her head, and tried to turn up her nose; but, it was so very small, it
couldn't be very scornful. She said nothing, but walked gravely by, as
if she was going on an errand, and hadn't heard a word. Round the corner
she went, thinking she would wait till Kitty was gone; as she didn't
like to pass again, fearing Jack might say something equally trying. An
organ-man with a monkey was playing near by; and Poppy was soon so busy
listening to the music, and watching the sad-looking monkey, that she
forgot home, shoes, and Kitty altogether.

She followed the man a long way; and, when she turned to go back, she
took the wrong street, and found herself by the park. Being fond of
dandelions, Poppy went in, and gathered her hands full, enjoying herself
immensely; for Betsy, the maid, never let her play in the pond, or roll
down the hill, or make dirt-pies, and now she did all these things,
besides playing with strange children and talking with any one she
pleased. If she had not had her luncheon just before she started, she
would have been very hungry; for dinner-time came, without her knowing
it.

By three o'clock, she began to think it was time to go home, and boldly
started off to find it. But poor little Poppy didn't know the way, and
went all wrong. She was very tired now, and hot and hungry, and wanted
to see mamma, and wondered why she didn't come to the brown house with
the white garden-gate. On and on she went, up streets and down, amusing
herself with looking in the shop-windows, and sitting to rest on
doorsteps. Once she asked a pleasant-faced little girl to show her the
way home; but, as she didn't know in what street it was, and said her
father's