very large, she could not speak for
herself.

"What an awful fib!" cried Flora. "There she is; don't I see her through
the door?"

"But that's just the way some of the fine folks do," replied Nellie,
laughing at Flora's earnestness.

"It is an awful story, and I wouldn't say it even in fun."

Nellie said she would not say it again, only she wanted to have Miss
Fanny do just as the big folks did. And so they played all the
afternoon, though Lady Jane did not honor them with her company. All the
dollies paid lots of visits; and Flora went home.

[Illustration: The Christmas Present.]

III.

When Flora reached home, she told her mother what a nice time she had,
and what splendid visits Miss Lucy and Miss Mary and Miss Susie had made
to Miss Fanny.

She could not help telling her mother what a good girl Nellie was, and
how she loved her sister, even when she was unkind and spoke pettishly
to her.

Then she told her how much she wished Nellie had a wax doll, with real
hair, and a white silk dress. Mrs. Lee thought such a good girl ought to
have one, and the very next time she went to the city, she bought the
prettiest wax doll she could find for her.

Flora was full of joy when she saw the doll, and learned whom it was
for. She was a great deal happier than if the doll had been bought for
herself; and she wanted to run right over to Mr. Green's with the
beautiful present. She longed to see the eyes of Nellie sparkle as she
saw the doll, and to hear what she would say when told it was for her.
But Mrs. Lee thought they had better keep the doll till Christmas, and
let her find it with her stocking in the morning.

"But then I shan't see her when she first gets the dolly," said Flora.

"That is true; but you must write a little note, which shall be pinned
on the doll's dress."

"That will be splendid, mother! And I will go right away and write the
note now."

Flora got a pencil and a piece of paper, and seated herself in the
corner. She worked away for half an hour as busy as a bee, and then she
carried the note to her mother. She was not much of a writer, having
been to school only a year. She could only print the note.

Flora was very fond of writing notes, and long before she could make a
single letter, she would fill up a piece of paper with pothooks and
spiders' legs, and send them to her mother and Frank.

She did not spell all the words right, but her mother told her how to
correct them, and