day. That's a pretty fine thing! I reckon you think there's no
bottom to my purse!"

"Now, Mrs. Dawson, you won't regret spending that money, I am sure,"
said the attendant coaxingly; "and this one shan't cost more than
eighteenpence, trimming and all," and she produced a big
shady-brimmed, flexible straw, for which was shown as trimming a
pretty soft flowered ribbon, to be loosely twisted around the crown.
Then came a length of blue serge for a warm dress, and two pieces of
print, one with blue flowers all over it, and the other with pink
ones. Jessie thought them both perfectly lovely, and while they were
being chosen she slid off her chair and went and leaned against her
grandmother. She did not feel at all afraid of her now; she felt
that she wanted to kiss her for all her kindness, and to tell her how
grateful she was. She did not do that, she was still too shy, but
Mrs. Dawson seemed to understand, for she put her arm very fondly
about her, and drew her very close.

"Now, if only you could sew," she said, "you'd be able to help me
finely with all this, but I s'pose I shall get it done somehow. I
must let other things go for the time."

Jessie longed eagerly to be able to help, but she couldn't sew at
all, she had never even tried. She thought, though, that she might
be able to do some of the other things granny mentioned, and she made
up her mind to do her best. She wouldn't say anything to any one,
but she would try, and she grew quite excited at the thought.

"I wish mother knew," she sighed presently, when the assistant had
gone off to get the boots for her to try on. "Mother tried to get me