paper dolls when she wanted to read, and played go visiting, or dressed
rag babies, when she longed to be out of doors. But while the novelty
lasted, she was quite a Florence Nightingale.

Her Wednesday and Saturday after-noons were no longer her own. Before
Prudy's lameness, Susy had used her new skates a great deal, and could
now skim over the ice quite gracefully, for a little girl of her age.
The reason she learned to skate so well, was because she was fearless.
Most children tremble when they try to stand on the ice, and for that
very reason are nearly sure to fall; but Susy did not tremble in the
face of danger: she had a strong will of her own, and never expected to
fail in anything she undertook.

She had spent half of her short life out of doors, and almost considered
it lost time when she was obliged to stay in the house for the rain.

Mrs. Parlin kept saying it was high time for her eldest daughter to
begin to be womanly, and do long stints with her needle: she could not
sew as well now as she sewed two years ago.

But Mr. Parlin laughed at his wife's anxiety, and said he loved Susy's
red cheeks; he didn't care if she grew as brown as an Indian. She was
never rude or coarse, he thought; and she would be womanly enough one of
these days, he was quite sure.

"Anything," said Mr. Parlin, "but these _womanly_ little girls, such as
I have seen sitting in a row, sewing seams, without animation enough to
tear rents in their own dresses! If Susy loves birds, and flowers, and
snowbanks, I am thankful, and perfectly willing she should have plenty
of them for playthings."