"
"I should like to have _one_ dress," said Nora. "I am not anything at
all. All the fun is in the dress. You are to have four dresses."
"Well, so are you to have four."
"No, I am not. What four?"
"This one, you know; and Red Riding-hood--and the Princes in the
Tower--and Cinderella."
"I am to be only one of the ugly sisters in Cinderella--I don't believe
aunt Frances will give her much of a dress; and I hate Red Riding-hood;
and the Princes in the Tower are not to be dressed at all. They are
covered up with the bed-clothes."
"Nora," said Daisy softly,--"would you like to be dressed as John
Alden?"
"As _what?_" said Nora, in no very accommodating tone of voice.
"John Alden--that Puritan picture, you know, with the spinning wheel. I
am to be Priscilla."
"A boy! Do you think I would be dressed like a boy?" cried Nora in
dudgeon. And Daisy thought _she_ would not, if the question were asked
her; and had nothing more to answer.
So the practising went on, with good success on the whole. The little
company met every other day; and dresses were making, and postures were
studied, and costumes were considered and re-considered. Portia and
Bassanio got to be perfect. So did Alfred in the neat-herd's
cottage--very nearly. Nora, however she grumbled, blew her cakes
energetically; Preston and Eloise made a capital old man and woman, she
with a mutch cap and he with a bundle of sticks on his head; while
Alexander Fish with his long hair and rather handsome face sat very well
at the table hearing his rebuke for letting the cakes burn.
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