"No--not disconsolate," said Ethel; "but the white puffiness--and the
hemming--and the glass!"

"Poor Ethel can't get over it," said Margaret. "But, Ethel, do you
think there is nothing disconsolate in untidiness?"

"You could be tidy without the little puffs! Your first bit of work
too! Don't think I'm tiresome. If they were an amusement to you, I
am sure I am very glad of them, but I can't see the sense of them."

"Poor little things!" said Margaret laughing. "It is only my foible
for making a thing look nice. And, Ethel," she added, drawing her
down close over her, "I did not think the trouble wasted, if seeing
me look fresher cheered up dear papa a moment."

"I spoke to papa about nurse's proposal," said Margaret presently to
Flora, "and he quite agrees to it. Indeed it is impossible that Anne
should attend properly to all the children while nurse is so much
engaged with me."

"I think so," said Flora; "and it does not answer to bring Aubrey
into the school-room. It only makes Mary and Blanche idle, and Miss
Winter does not like it."

"Then the question is, who shall it be? Nurse has no one in view,
and only protests against 'one of the girls out of the school here.'"

"That's a great pity," said Flora. "Don't you think we could make
her take to Jane White, she is so very nice."