into such a bag!" knock--knock! "Stephen came to the
throne in 1145, or 1154, I'm sure I don't know which--and, what's more,
I don't care! Ah!" the last exclamation was a cry of pain, for the
hammer in the girl's awkward hand had come down with some force on her
fingers.

"Well, Nelly, what is the matter?" asked Lubin, showing his jolly fat
face at the door.

"I'm tired to death of these dates!" replied Nelly, raising her flushed
face at the question.

"So was I with the very first of them; I never got beyond William the
Conqueror; my carpet will stick on very well without nails, if no one
takes to dancing a jig upon it! You are just wearing your spirits out,
Nelly, and I'm sure that I wouldn't do that for any man, least of all
for that sour Mr. Learning, who scribbled DUNCE on my wall!"

"I think," said Nelly, "that my friend Duty would tell me to go
hammering on with these dates."

"Duty would keep one in tight order," laughed Lubin, "but I prefer
following my own pleasure. I'm off to Amusement's bazaar, and I advise
you to come with me now."

"Oh, Lubin, not now; not till I have finished my work."

"Then I'll go without you," said the boy, leaving poor Nelly to her
troublesome task.

Scarcely had Nelly begun her hammering again, when Matty popped in her
pretty little face.

"Why, Nelly, what's the use of tiring yourself like that! You will never
manage to knock in all those nails!"

"I am afraid that I will not," sighed poor Nelly.

"Do as I do," continued Matty. "Miss Folly, kind creature, has supplied
me with spangles, which are, all the world must own, just as pretty as
any brass nails!"

"Spangles!" repeated Nelly in surprise; "no one can fasten down a carpet
with spangles!"

"It's the _look_ of the thing that I care for," said Matty, who had
evidently become a very apt pupil of Folly. "And now I'll tell you where
I'm going, Nelly. I have long thought, you know, that a pretty
tambourine would look wonderfully well in my parlour; and I think, if I
could buy one cheap, that a French picture would give it a fashionable
air. I am going on a purchasing expedition, dear Miss Folly being my
guide."

"Oh, Matty!" exclaimed Nelly, "you know that you have not yet bought
half the things that you require from Mr. Arithmetic the ironmonger!"

"I wish Mr. Arithmetic at Jericho!" cried Matty peevishly; "his goods
are so heavy--so uninteresting; they make no show; I won't plague myself
with such things!"