long time before it would iron without a mark,
But it did at last, and we finished our Dolls' Wash just before dark.

* * * * *

Sally's very kind, for she praised our wash, and she has taken away
Victoria's dress to do it again; and I really must say
She was right when she said, "You see, young ladies, a week's wash
isn't all play."
Our backs ache, our faces are red, our hands are all wrinkled, and
we've rubbed our fingers quite sore;
We feel very sorry for Sally every week, and we don't mean to dirty
our dresses so much any more.

[Illustration]

HOUSE-BUILDING AND REPAIRS.

Father is building a new house, but I've had one given to me for
my own;
Brick red, with a white window, and black where it ought to be glass,
and the chimney yellow, like stone.
Brother Bill made me the shelves with his tool-box, and the table I
had before, and the pestle-and-mortar;
And Mother gave me the jam-pot when it was empty; it's rather big, but
it's the only pot we have that will really hold water.
We--that is I and Jemima, my doll. (For it's a Doll's House, you know,
Though some of the things are real, like the nutmeg-grater, but not
the wooden plates that stand in a row.
_They_ came out of a box of toy tea-things, and I can't think what
became of the others;
But one never can tell what becomes of anything when one has brothers.)
Jemima is much smaller than I am, and, being made of wood, she is thin;
She takes up too much room inside, but she can lie outside on the roof
without breaking it in.
I wish I had a drawing-room to put her in when I want to really cook;
I have to have the kitchen-table outside as it is, and the
pestle-and-mortar is rather too heavy for it, and everybody
can look.
There's no front door to the house, because there's no front to have a
door in, and beside,
If there were, I couldn't play with anything, for I shouldn't know how
to get inside.
I never heard of a house with only one room, except the cobbler's, and
his was a stall.
I don't quite know what that is; but it isn't a house, and it served
him for parlour and kitchen and all.
Father says that whilst he is abo