th what she considered "truly
hartistic folds." Poppy's hat, however, was her master-piece; it was a
rather small white straw hat, trimmed with dark blue velvet, and
adorned with a scarlet tip and a bunch of yellow daffodils.

Poppy's black eyes gleamed mischievously under the shade of this
brilliant hat, and her cheeks rivalled the scarlet tip in their color.

With her little purse clasped tightly in her hand she tripped
downstairs and joined Jasmine.

Jasmine was too excited and too eager to be off to notice Poppy's
attire particularly, and when her hat and general get-up were received
without a comment the little maid whispered to herself, "It's only
another of the _bitings_; life's full of them--choke-full."

"Where are we going, Miss Jasmine?" she asked aloud, smothering back a
slight sigh.

"Business first, Poppy," said Jasmine--"business first and then
pleasure. I thought we'd make a little programme in this way--we'd
visit the publishers at their seats of learning in the morning hours;
in the afternoon we might go to Madame Tussaud's or a picture
gallery--I'd prefer that, but of course naturally you'd go in for
Madame Tussaud's, Poppy; then in the evening we'll go and have tea
with Daisy. We'll bring something nice in for tea, and Daisy will be
so happy. I expect to have very good news to bring to my little sister
to-night, Poppy."

"Oh, indeed, miss, I'm sure I'm gratified to hear that same. I think,
Miss Jasmine, that the programme sounds sensible--the dull part first,
and then the pleasure, and then the needed refreshment for our hungry
bodies. All things considered, Miss Jasmine, seeing that I eats the
bread of toil from morn to eve, and have a swimming head, owing to
being Sarah with every other name tacked on, I think it might be best
for me to be enlivened with the waxen figures, miss, and not to have
my poor brain worrited with picters."

"All right, Poppy, we will certainly go to Madame Tussaud's--but you
must not consider the first part of our day dull, dear Poppy--it is
business, certainly, but you don't know what it means to me. To-day,
Poppy, I am about to take my first soaring flight."

"Oh law! Miss Jasmine--I always knew you were clever, miss, and I
suppose it is because I'm so worried in my business days that I've got
that stupid that I can't see no meaning at all in your words, miss."

"All right, Poppy, you need not see any meaning in them--all you have
to do is to come with me, and