oose
the hyacinths and tulips for our beds."

"You had a great deal better go to Vick, at Rochester," said Mrs.
Laval. "You can depend upon what he gives you. I have not found
Blodgett so careful."

"I should like to go to Mr. Vick's very much; but Rochester is rather
too far off," said Norton.

"You can write, you foolish boy."

"Well," said Norton, "I believe that _will_ be best. We cannot put the
bulbs in now, unless we have a great stroke of good luck and there
comes a soft bit of weather. I'll write to Vick. But we'll go to
Blodgett's and get a few just for house blooming. Wouldn't you like
that, Pink?"

Matilda liked it so much that she found no words to express herself.
Norton and his mother both laughed at her.

After dinner Mrs. Laval went with Matilda up to her room, and looked
over her whole wardrobe. Most of the things which belonged to it Mrs.
Laval threw aside; Matilda's old calico dresses and several of the
others; and her old stockings and pocket handkerchiefs; and told
Matilda she might give them away. New linen, she said, Matilda should
have, as soon as she could get it made; meanwhile some new things were
provided already. She bade Matilda take a bath; and then she had her
own maid come in to arrange her hair and dress her. There was not much
to be done with Matilda's hair; it was in short wavy locks all over her
head; but the maid brushed it till Matilda thought she would never have
done; and then she was dressed in a new dark brown merino, made short,
and bound with a wide ribband sash; and new stockings were put on her
that were gartered above her knees; and Matilda felt at once very nice
and very funny. But when it was done, Mrs. Laval took her in her arms
and half smothered her with caresses.

"We will get everything put in order, as soon as we get to New York,"
she said; "my rosebud! my pink, as Norton calls you; my Daphne blossom!"

"What is that, ma'am?" said Matilda laughing.

"Daphne? you shall have a plant of it, and then you will know. It is
something very sweet, and yet very modest. It never calls people to
come and look at it."

She had Matilda on her lap; and she stroked her hair, putting it back
from her brow; took her face in both hands and looked at it and kissed
it; played with her hands; passed her fingers over the new stockings to
see how they fitted; tried the garters to see if they were too tight;
Matilda felt the touch of _motherly_ hands again, like no other hands