A Litte Princess

anservant followed, carrying the box containing the Last Doll, a housemaid carried a second box, and Becky brought up the rear, carrying a third and wearing a clean apron and a n

n," she said. "I do not desire

the big girls stared at her and touched each other's elbows,

arose. "James, place the box on the table and remove the lid.

ng with rapturous expectation. She almost dropped her box, the disapproving voice so startled h

oung ladies," said Miss Minchin. "You

med haste and hastily

nchin announced to the serv

rst. She could not help casting a longing glance at the box on the table. So

chin," said Sara, sudden

into something like a slight jump. Then she put her

xclaimed. "My

ced a step

e to see the presents," she explained.

ized. She glanced from

is the scullery maid. Scullery

them in that light. Scullery maids were mac

w she would enjoy herself. Please let

replied with

r--she may stay. Rebecca, thank

uspense. She came forward, bobbing curtsies, but between Sara's eyes and her own th

doll, miss, that I did. Thank you, miss. And thank you, ma'am,"--turning

n--this time it was in the direc

he commanded. "Not too

luck of being inside the room, instead of being downstairs in the scullery, while these delights w

ave a few words to say

ch," whispered one of the g

as probable that the speech was about her. It is not agreea

eech began--for it was a speech--"tha

!" murmure

er different from other little girls' birthdays. When she is older she will be hei

es," giggled Jes

hin, she felt herself growing rather hot. When Miss Minchin talked about money, she felt so

seminary, Captain Crewe, shall be such as will adorn the largest fortune.' Sara has become my most accomplished pupil. Her French and her dancing are a credit to the seminary. Her manners-- which have caused you to call her P

its feet as it had done the mo

t Lottie jumped up and down. Sara looked rather shy for

said, "for comi

r. Lavinia"--scathingly-- "the sound you just made was extremely like a snort. If you are jealous of your fellow-pu

cely closed before every seat was empty. The little girls jumped or tumbled out of theirs; the older ones wasted no

ooks, I know

into a rueful murmur, an

hday present?" she exclaimed. "Why, he's

ok out the Last Doll it was so magnificent that the children uttered delight

s big as Lottie,

r hands and dance

ter," said Lavinia. "Her c

orward, "she has an opera-glass i

d Sara. "Let us open it

s and silk stockings and handkerchiefs; there was a jewel case containing a necklace and a tiara which looked quite as if they were made of real diamonds; there was a long sealskin and muff, there were ball dresses and walki

k-velvet hat on the impassively smiling owner of all these splendors--

things," said Lavinia, and

is nothing so nice as supposing. It's almost like being a fairy.

verything," said Lavinia. "Could you suppose and p

e Last Doll's ostrich plu

a beggar, one would have to suppose and pret

at just as she had finished saying this--just at

she must talk to him alone and the refreshments are laid in her parlor, you had all better c

decorum, and then, with Sara at her side heading it, she led it away, leaving the Last Doll sitting upon a chair with the glories of

nts, had the indiscretion to linger a moment to loo

t, and while she stood looking at them adoringly, she heard Miss Minchin upon the threshold, and, being smitten with terro

looked rather disturbed. Miss Minchin herself also looked rather disturbed, it must be ad

tiff dignity, and w

ted, Mr. Barr

h surrounded her. He settled his eyeglasses and looked at them in nervous disapproval. The Last Doll he

"All expensive material, and made at a Parisian modis

seemed to be a disparagement of

had no right t

Barrow," she said stiffl

e same critical manner, "to a child eleven

w herself up sti

f fortune," she said. "T

r. "Diamond mines!" he broke ou

ctually got up

ried. "What

ite snappishly, "it would have been mu

catching at the back of a chair and feeling as

very dear friend and is not a businessman himself, he had better steer clear of the dear friend's diamond mine

hin stopped hi

d out. "The LATE>! You don't come

ined. The jungle fever might not have killed him if he had not been driven mad by the business troubles, and the

chair again. The words he had

ss troubles?" she sai

red Mr. Barrow, "and d

hin lost

she ga

his own money into it, and all Captain Crewe's. Then the dear friend ran away-- Captain Crewe was already stricken with fever w

il, her show patron, swept away from the Select Seminary at one blow. She felt as if she had

That Sara will have no fortune! That the child is a beggar! Tha

lt it as well to make his own freedom from

d she is certainly left on your hands, ma'am--as s

pen the door and rush out of the room to stop the festivities goin

ng room at this moment, dressed in silk gauze an

arrow & Skipworth are not responsible for anything. There never was a cleaner sweep made

increased indignation. This was worse t

xpenses for the child. I paid the bills for that ridiculous doll and her ridiculous fantastic wardrobe. The child was to ha

grievances after he had made the position of his firm clear and related the mere dry

"unless you want to make presents to the young lady. No one w

in, as if she felt it entirely his duty to

asses and slipping them into his pocket. "Captain Crewe is dead.

for her, and I refuse

ecame quite wh

ow turne

-interestedly. "Barrow & Skipworth are not responsi

greatly mistaken," Miss Minchin gasped. "I have bee

y quite so much. She saw herself burdened with an extravagantly broug

sturbedly moved

ell. Unpleasant story to get about in connection with the est

Minchin was a business woman, and would be shrewd enough to see the truth. She could

d. "She's a clever child, I believe. You can

of her before she grows ol

Barrow, with a little sinister smile

. What he had said was quite true. She knew it. She had absolutely no redress. Her show pupil had melted into nothingness

l upon her ears a burst of gay voices from her own sacred room, which

by Miss Amelia, who, when she caught sight of t

tter, sister?"

e was almost fierce

is Sara

ia was be

hy, she's with the childre

in her sumptuous ward

ss Amelia stammered

very other color. H

a began to

short for her. She has only the old

nk silk gauze, and put the black one on, whether

egan to wring her

fed. "Oh, sister! Wh

hin waste

ied without a penny. That spoiled, pampered,

wn quite heavily i

shall never see a penny of it. Put a stop to this ridiculo

elia. "M-must I go

erce answer. "Don't sit

was a somewhat embarrassing thing to go into the midst of a room full of delighted children, and tell the giver of the feast that she had suddenly been transformed into a little

he wisest course to pursue was to obey orders without any comment. Miss Minchin walked across the room. She spoke to herself aloud without knowing that she was doing it. During the last year the story of the diamond mines ha

UEEN>." She was sweeping angrily past the corner table as she said it, and the next mom

, sobbing sniff was heard again, and she stooped

ed out. "How dare you!

her cap was knocked on one side, and

hadn't ought to. But I was lookin' at the doll, mum--an' I w

all the time, listeni

could slip out without your noticin', but I couldn't an' I had to stay. But

lost all fear of the awful lady befo

you'll give me warnin, mum-- but I'm so

om!" ordered

the tears openly str

, 'and and foot; an' what will she do now, mum, without no maid? If--if, oh please, would you let me wait on her after I've done my pots an' kettles?

maid should range herself on the side of this child-- whom she realized more fully

on herself, and on other people, too. Leave th

room and down the steps into the scullery, and there she sat dow

ries," she wailed. "Them pore princes

hard as she did when Sara came to her, a few hour

had either been a dream or a thing which had happened years a

ss Minchin's sitting room looked as it always did--all traces of the feast were gone, and Miss Minchin had resumed her usual dress. The pupils had been ordered

said to her sister. "And explain to her clearly

making a sound. Her eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger, and she went quite pale. When I had finished, she still stood staring for a few seconds, and then her chin began to shake, and she turned round and ran out of the room and upstairs. Several of the other

er door. In fact, she herself scarcely remembered anything but that she walked up and down, saying ove

hair, and cried out wildly, "Emily! Do you hear? Do you hear

as if she did not wish it to reveal what she had suffered and was suffering. She did not look in the least like the rose-colored butterfly child who ha

in, showing themselves from beneath the brief skirt. As she had not found a piece of black ribbon, her short, thick, black hair tumbled loosely

Miss Minchin. "What do you

ot put her down. She is all I

not speak with rudeness so much as with a cold steadiness with which Miss Minchin felt it

," she said. "You will have to work and i

ange eyes fixed on her

" Miss Minchin went on. "I suppose Mis

papa is dead. He left me n

e recollection of what all this meant. "It appears that you h

e little face twitched, bu

t you cannot understand? I tell you that you are quite alone in the world, and ha

d there was a sound as if she had gulped down so

hday gift seated near--"that ridiculous doll, with all her non

her head tow

e Last Doll." And her little m

Minchin. "And she is mine, not y

rom me, then," said Sa

her. She was a woman who liked to domineer and feel her power, and as she looked at Sara's pale little

our carriage and your pony will be sent away--your maid will be dismissed. You will wear your oldest and plainest clo

m of light came into the chil

I can work it will not matt

, and pick up things readily. If you make yourself useful I may let you st

ase let me! I know I can teach th

re than teach the little ones. You will run errands and help in the kitchen as well as in

In her young soul, she was thinking deep and st

inchin. "Don't you

deep, strange thoughts

or?" sh

lied Miss Minchin. "For my k

thin little chest heaved up and down, and sh

me." And she had turned and run out of the room before Miss Minchin

ut panting for breath and she he

said to herself. "If she cou

hink and think and think. But just before she reached the landing Miss Amelia came out of the door and closed it behind her, and

not to go in t

imed Sara, and she

now," Miss Amelia answe

She realized that this was the beginning

sked, hoping very much th

ep in the attic

with shabby strips of old carpet. She felt as if she were walking away and leaving far behind her the world in which that other child, who no

heart gave a dreary little thump. Then she shut

ces of furniture too much worn to be used downstairs had been sent up. Under the skylight in the roof, which showed nothing but an oblong piece of dull gray sky, there stood an old battered red footstool. Sara went to it and sat down.

ndeed, was not roused until the door was timidly pushed open and a poor tear-smeared face appeared peeping round it. It was Becky

r breath. "Might I--would yo

ddenly--and it was all through the loving mournfulness of Becky's streaming eyes--her face looked m

y two little girls--just two little girls. You see how true i

nd hugged it to her breast, kneeling be

. "Whats'ever 'appens to you--whats'ever--you'd be a princess