, she thought of little Dotty, as she had seen her, that
morning, trying to tug Percy's huge dog up stairs in her arms.

"It is too much for her," thought aunt Madge: "the dog got the
upper-hand of Dotty, and I think the big words are more than a match for
Ruth."

But Ruth did not seem to know it, for she persevered. She gravely asked
aunt Madge if she approved of the "_Mancimation_ of _Proclapation_."
Then she said she and her mamma were very much "_perplexed"_ when news
came of the last defeat. She would have said "_surprised_" only
_surprised_ was an every-day word, and not up to standard of elegant
English.

Ruth was not so very silly, after all. It was only when she tried to
talk of matters too old for her that she made herself ridiculous. She
was very quiet and industrious, and had knit several pairs of socks for
the soldiers.

As soon as Miss Parlin could disentangle herself from her conversation
with Ruthie, she left the children to themselves.

"Let's keep school," said Prudy. "I'll be teacher, if you want me to."

"Very well," replied Susy, "we'll let her; won't we, girls? she is such
a darling."

"Well," said Prudy, with a look of immense satisfaction, "please go,
Susy, and ask grandma if I may have one of those shiny, white
handkerchiefs she wears on her neck, and a cap, and play Quaker."

Grandma was very glad that Prudy felt well enough to play Quaker, and
lent her as much "costume" as she needed, as well as a pair of
spectacles without eyes, which the children often borrowed for their
plays, fancying that they added to the dignity of the wearer.

When Prudy was fairly equipped, she was a droll little Quakeress,
surely, and grandma had to be called up from the kitchen to behold her
with her own eyes. The little soft face, almost lost in the folds of the
expansive cap, was every bit as solemn as if she had been, as aunt Madge
said, "a hundred years old, and very old for her age."

She was really a sweet little likeness of grandma Read in miniature.

"And their names are alike, too," said Susy: "grandma's name is
Prudence, and so is Prudy's."

"Used to be," said Prudy, gravely.

"Rosy Frances" was now lifted most carefully into her little wheeled
chair and no queen ever held a court with more dignity than she assumed
as she smoothed into place the folds of her grandma's snowy kerchief,
which she wore about her neck.

"What shall we do first?" said Flossy and Susy.

"Thee? thee?" Prudy cons