Brace.

Even Mammy Leezer usually looked to her like a favored person, and a
little of the glamor, or charm, that was about everybody and everything
belonging to Ingleside, was about Mammy Leezer, too. Several times the
old woman had spoken to her, and Sally liked well the "sugary" sound of
her voice, as she called it in her own mind.

But to-day so full was her mind of the Fairy book that she scrubbed away
at the steps never caring what was being said just beyond her, so she
did not know that it was what Mammy Leezer had said that made Mistress
Cory Ann give her the whole long twilight and even-song to herself.

It made no difference. Enough for her that, supper ended, off she could
fly, and in her own particular cubby between hedge and wall could hear
more of the beloved story.

A very fortunate thing for Sally had happened a short time before this,
although it might be that no one remembered it. Two or three great
stones had loosened at the top of the wall near the arbor, and after
repairing, the workmen had left a couple of large stones, one on top of
the other, between the hedge and the wall.

This formed a grand seat for Sally, as after perching on the upper stone
her head was only a little below the wall, and distinctly she could hear
what was said in the arbor. But she must needs push her way through the
hedge at quite a little distance beyond the seat, where the stiff
branches were thinner, as at that particular spot they were of a
thickness to sadly tear her clothes and dreadfully scratch her skin
should she try to get through.

But the little girl knew exactly where to worm her thin little body past
the hedge, take a twist or two, and there she was, all the more
completely hidden that the screen was so thick near her seat. It never
occurred to her that perhaps she ought not to listen. Too untaught a
child was Sally to know that, and, oh! the delight and comfort of it
all!

It has been said that Sally was imaginative, and a great thing it was
for her, too. Because, don't you see, no matter how hard she might be
working, she could fancy, or imagine herself, floating off to Dreamland
in a Fairy's arms, even like the child in the story. Or, in her poor
little attic room, she could imagine herself dressing up before a great,
grand mirror, and getting ready for a party at Ingleside.

Now, it has also been said that Sally was not pretty to look at, but
here is the truth of the matter: Sally had dull red hai