l cut
and cut ever so long."

Mamma dropped her work and got the things. "Now, dear," she said, "see
if you can't get along the rest of the morning by yourself. Dolly and
the picture books are in the dining room. Don't ask me for anything if
you can help it, but keep out of mischief and be as happy as you can."

Alice went back to her little table and soon had it covered with queer
things. There were the oddest dolls you ever saw, with arms sticking
out like stems: and there were horses with as many legs as could be
put along the whole length of the body. It was great fun to cut them.

But by and by Alice grew tired of this, and jumped up quickly. Over
went the little table, scattering things everywhere. Such a litter!
"I'll just leave it all," thought Alice. Then a little voice inside
said. "Pick it all up and help mamma." After a minute, the little girl
obeyed this pleasant voice, and picked up every scrap. Then she ran
downstairs without stopping at the sewing room door, though she wanted
to.

"Peggy Morlinda," she said, taking dolly from her cradle, "is you all
by yourself, too? Isn't it lonesome? Come, I'll put you to sleep."

Peggy was soon asleep, or supposed to be, though her eyes were still
staring.

"Now I will go take one little peek at mamma." said Alice, starting
upstairs, but stopping next step. "No. I won't neiver," she said
bravely. "I won't 'sturb mamma one bit."

After this the little girl found amusement for awhile at the library
window. Next, she went back to the picture books, and read a long
story, all made up out of her own head, to Peggy Morlinda, who woke
up to listen. But what a long morning it was! She did not enjoy it
much, but she made up her mind about one thing--she wouldn't "'sturb
mamma."

At last papa came home and Alice ran to him to be tossed up and down,
and they had a fine frolic.

"Have you gotten along nicely with your work?" asked papa of mamma at
dinner.

"Very nicely, thank you," said mamma. "Alice helped me a great deal!"

"Alice!" exclaimed papa, looking as surprised as possible. "Can Alice
sew?"

Mamma laughed. "Oh, no, indeed, not yet," she said, "but she gave me a
fine chance to do it. She amused herself all morning and did not ask
me to do anything for her, so we got on beautifully with the work in
the sewing room."

[Illustration: "Peggy Morlinda, is you all by yourself, too?"]

"Good girl," said papa, and Alice looked as happy as she felt. Oh, how
gl