will take the most care of her; but maybe they'll let you watch her
sometimes when she's asleep. Don't blow open her eyes any more, Prudy;
that's very naughty. If we do just as we ought to, and are kind to her,
she'll be a comfort, and grow up a lady!"

"O, will she?" asked Prudy, a little sadly. "I thought when she growed
up she'd be a gemplum, like papa."

"What an idea! But that's just as much sense as you little bits o'
children have! When you don't know about anything, Prudy, you may come
and ask _me_; I'm most six."

The new baby was very wonderful indeed. The first thing she did was to
cry; the next was to sneeze. Prudy wished "all the people down street,
and all the ladies that lived in the whole o' the houses, could see the
new sister." Her heart swelled with pride when admiring ladies took the
unconscious little creature in their arms, saying, "Really, it is a
remarkably pretty child. What starry eyes! What graceful little fingers!
Isn't her mouth shaped like Prudy's?"

Mrs. Parlin did not approve of cradles, and the nurse had a fashion of
rolling the baby in a blanket and laying her down in all sorts of
places. One day little Prudy flung herself into the big rocking chair,
not noticing the small bundle which lay there, under a silk
handkerchief.

It was feared at first that the baby was crushed to death; but when she
was heard to cry, Mrs. Parlin said, "We have great cause for
thankfulness. So far as I can judge, it is only her _nose_ that is
broken!"