t?" asked Nelly
simply.

"My dear, what an absurd question! Does not every one wish to be taken
for somebody grander than herself?" cried Folly, jabbering at railroad
speed. "The child of the dogs' meat man wears a necklace and hoop; the
farmer's daughter cuts out the squire's; the kitchen-maids on Sundays
deck out as ladies; each one mimics some one above her, and wants to cut
a dash in the world! If any one were content to appear really _what she
is_, I should cut her society at once; I should let the whole world know
that she had _nothing to do with Folly_!"

Sharing the excitement of his mistress, "Ain't I fine? ain't I fine?"
cried Parade.

"Now, my dear, I'll tell you what I'll do," continued Folly, lowering
her voice to a confidential tone; "you shall give me your bird Content,
and, as I told you before, I shall feed him and foster him with the same
care as I do my own pet alligator. In return I will not only present you
with this charming string of pearls, but will show you how to wear them
in a manner the most bewitching."

"I do not think that pearls would suit a plain little girl like me!"

"Plain! if ever I heard such a thing. You've a countenance quite out of
the common! You've the prettiest nose--the sweetest little nose; and as
for your smile!--" Folly threw up her hands, and cast up her eyes, to
denote admiration too great to be expressed by mere words.

Poor little Nelly was rather taken aback by praises to which she had not
been accustomed. She certainly placed little confidence in anything said
by her visitor; yet flattery has some sweetness in it, even from the
lips of Folly. Let no little girl who reads my story despise poor Nelly
for smiling and blushing, unless she be quite certain that she never
herself has done the same on a similar occasion. But Nelly, though
amused, was not caught even by the bait of the pearls and the praises.
She remembered many a word of sensible advice given by her faithful
friend Duty, and drawing a little back from Folly, who in her eager
confidential manner had pressed up quite close to the child, she said in
a modest tone, "Whatever our looks may be, a simple and sober dress,
such as suits our age and station, is what Duty always recommends."

"Duty--the old horror!" exclaimed Folly, who could not endure the very
name; "I don't wonder that you're formal and quiet, if you tie yourself
down to her laws. No, no, my pretty Nell, you must break away at once
from suc