Eton jackets standing by themselves and looking
bored and superior. Mrs Welsby rustled forward to meet Hope with a
glance and a smile, which made the girl's heart leap with painful
remembrance, and seemed unfeignedly rejoiced at her arrival.

"Oh, Miss Charrington, so charmed to see you! We have been playing
games for an hour, and I am quite exhausted. What exacting little
wretches they are! I will take them into the drawing-room and get them
seated; and will you begin at once, please? I have really come to the
end of my resources."

She was so smiling and friendly that Hope's shyness disappeared on the
spot, and she helped to marshal the children to their seats, and took
her stand on the little platform by the piano as the last few rows of
chairs were being filled. A hasty glance around had discovered no sign
of Mr Merrilies; but his absence, bitter disappointment though it was,
brought an increase of self-confidence for the task ahead. Experience
in the mission-rooms had shown that not a moment must be lost in
engaging wandering attention, so no sooner had the last little white
frock taken her seat than she clapped her hands to call for silence, and
looking smilingly around, began her story:

"Once upon a very long time ago there lived a king and queen, who had
the most beautiful little princess daughter that was ever seen. Her
true name was Marie Theresa Louisa Alberta Maud Victoria Patricia
Josephine, but as it was a very busy country, where the people were
always going to war and having discussions among themselves, no one had
time to call her by so many names, except on Sundays and bank holidays
and Christmas Day. On ordinary working days she was called Princess
Chrystal, because her eyes were so clear and sparkling and her laugh
like a chime of bells. She had seven fairy godmothers, and they all
came to her christening, and brought her the most wonderful presents you
can imagine. I am going to sing you a song which tells all about the
godmothers and their presents, and I want you to listen very carefully
to the first verse, and to join in the chorus when I hold up my hand."

She stepped down from the platform to seat herself at the piano, and
even the superior gentlemen in Eton jackets were obliged to join in with
the rest when they discovered that the words were set to the well-known
rollicking tune of "Seven Little Nigger Boys." Though the story began
in the orthodox fashion, its development was