be so unkind to me. I shall dream of you in your pretty dresses, my
love."

Florence said nothing more; she took the screwdriver from her mother,
and proceeded to open the box.

Inside lay fold after fold of tissue paper. This was lifted away and
then the first dress appeared to view. It was a soft shimmering silk
of light texture, fashionably made and very girlish and simple.
Florence could not help trembling when she saw it. All her scruples
vanished at the first sight of the lovely clothes, and she took them
out one by one to gaze at them in amazed delight.

The silk dress was followed by a flowered barege, and this by one or
two cottons, all equally well made, quite suitable for a young girl,
and the sort of dress which would give to Florence's somewhat clumsy
figure a new grace. Under the three lighter dresses was a very plain
but smartly-made thin blue serge, altogether different from the sort of
serge which Florence had worn up to the present. To this serge was
pinned a label, on which the words were written: "Travelling dress, and
to be worn every day at school."

Under the pretty serge were half a dozen white embroidered aprons, and
below them piles and piles of underlinen, all beautifully embroidered,
silk stockings, little shoes, plenty of gloves, handkerchiefs, also
embroidered with Florence's name. In short, a complete and very
perfect wardrobe.

"Dear, dear, is it a dream?" said Florence; "am I the same girl? What
magic that Scholarship has worked!"

"You must try them on, Flo," said the widow; "we shall be up some time.
You must try one and all of them on, and Sukey shall come in and see
you."

"Oh, mother, is it necessary to show them all to Sukey?"

"I think so, love, for it will spread the news, and it will greatly
enhance my position in the place. I quite expect the Pratts will ask
me to tea once a week, and they give very good teas--excellent; I never
tasted better hot cakes than Ann Pratt makes. Yes, Flo dear, Sukey
must see you in your smart clothes. Come upstairs to our bedroom and
let us begin the trying-on, dearest."

Florence was sufficiently impressed with her new position to agree to
this. She went upstairs with her mother, and for the next two hours
the ladies were very busy.

Sukey was called to view Florence in each of her frocks, and when Sukey
held up her hands and said that Miss Florence looked quite the lady of
quality, and when she blinked her old eyes and fus