How shocked Prudy would have been, if she had seen her little sister
reaching up to the counter, and turning over the leaves of books, side
by side with grown people! Miss Dimple was never very bashful; and what
did she care for the people in New York, who never saw her before? She
soon became absorbed in a fairy story. Seconds, minutes, quarters; it
was a whole hour before she came to herself enough to remember that
Horace was to call for her, and she was not where he had left her.

"But he can't scold; for didn't he keep me waiting, too? Now I'll go
back."

The next place she entered was a cigar store.

"I might have known better than to go in; for there's that wooden Indian
standing there, a-purpose to keep ladies out!"

"O, here's a 'Sample Room.' Now this _must_ be the place, for it says
'Push,' on the green door, just as the other one did."

What was Dotty's astonishment, when she found she had rushed into a room
which held only tables, bottles, and glasses, and men drinking something
that smelt like hot brandy!

"I shan't go into any more 'Sample Rooms.' I didn't know a 'Sample'
meant whiskey! But, I do declare, it's funny where _my_ store is gone
to."

The child was going farther and farther away from it.