"But it is not cut by anybody that knew how.
You can see that. Why don't you ask aunt Zara to let you have a black
satin cloak?"

"Black satin?" said Matilda.

"Yes. Black satin. It is so rich; and it is not heavy; and there is
more shine to it than silk has. A black satin cloak trimmed with
velvet--that is what I should like if I were you."

A strong desire for a black satin cloak forthwith sprang up in
Matilda's mind.

"There is not anything more fashionable," Judy went on; "and velvet is
just the prettiest trimming. When we go up to look at cloaks, you see
if you can spy such a one; if you can't, it would be easy to get the
stuff and have it made. Just as easy. I don't believe we shall find any
ready made, for they are so fashionable, they will be likely to be all
bought up. Dear me! what a figure that is!" exclaimed Judy, eying a
richly dressed lady who brushed by them.

"Isn't her dress handsome?" Matilda asked.

"It was handsome before it was made up--it isn't now. Dresses are not
cut that way now; and the trimming is as old as the hills. I guess that
has been made two or three years, that dress. And nobody wears a shawl
now--unless it's a camel's hair. Nobody would, that knew any better."

"What is a camel's hair?" said Matilda.

"A peculiar sort of rough thick shawl," said Judy. "People wear them
because they set off the rest of their dress; but country people don't
know enough to wear them. Ask aunt Zara to get you a camel's hair
shawl. I wish she would give me one, too."

Matilda wondered why Miss Judith's mother did not get her one, if they
were so desirable; but she did not feel at home enough with the young
lady to venture any such suggestion. She only did wish very much
privately that Mrs. Laval would choose for herself a black satin cloak;
but on that score too she did not feel that she could make any
requests. Mrs. Laval knew what was fashionable, at any rate, as well as
her niece; that was one comfort.

Thinking this, Matilda followed her two companions up the wide
staircase. Another world of shops and buyers and sellers up there! What
a very wonderful place New York must be. And Stewart's.

"Does everybody come here?" she whispered to Judy.

"Pretty much everybody," said that young lady. "They have to."

"Then they can't buy things anywhere else?"

"What do you mean?" said Judith looking at her.

"I mean, is this the only place where people can get things? are there
any more stores b