for the
costume had been prepared for her and a gown and vandyke made on
purpose. Would Alexander dare to wink this time, she wondered? And then
she remembered, to her great joy, that he could not; because his face
would be in full view of the people behind the scenes in the library.
The little brown spinning-wheel was brought on the platform; a heap of
flax at which Priscilla is supposed to have been working, was piled
together in front of it; and she and Alexander took their places. The
curtain was drawn aside, and a cry of pleasure from the company
testified to the picturesque prettiness of the representation. It was
according to the fact, that Priscilla should be looking in John Alden's
face; it was just at the moment when she is supposed to be rebuking him
for bringing to her his friend's suit and petition. Thinking herself
safe, and wishing to have the picture as good as possible, Daisy had
ventured to direct her eyes upon the face of Alexander Fish, who
personified the Puritan suitor. To her horror, Alexander, wholly
untouched by the poetry of the occasion and unawed by its hazards, dared
to execute a succession of most barefaced and disagreeable winks right
at Priscilla's eyes. Poor Daisy could not stand this. Forgetting her
character and the picture and everything, her eyes went down; her
eyelids drooped over them; and the expression of grave displeasure would
have done for a yet more dissatisfied mood of mind than Priscilla is
supposed to have known at the time. The company could not stand this,
either; and there burst out a hearty chorus of laughter and cheers
together, which greatly mortified Daisy. The curtain was drawn, and she
had to face the laughing comments of the people in the library. They
were unmerciful, she thought. Daisy grew very pink in the face.

Cinderella was the next picture, in which she had also to play. Dresses
were changed in haste; but meanwhile Daisy began to think about
herself. Was she all right? Mortified at the breaking of her picture;
angry at Alexander; eager to get back praise enough to make amends for
this loss;--whom was little Daisy trying to please? Where was the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit now? was it on?

They had after all given her place in the Cinderella tableau; she was
one of the two wicked sisters; and she looked dissatisfied enough for
the character. She wanted to get away to be alone for two minutes; but
she had this part to fill first. It is very hard t