She had a fine opportunity the next day to make up for the
evening's disappointment. It was cloudy and stormy; going out
was not to be thought of, and it was very unlikely that
anybody would come in. Ellen joyfully allotted the whole
morning to the examination and trial of her new possessions;
and as soon as breakfast was over and the room clear, she set
about it. She first went through the desk and everything in
it, making a running commentary on the excellence, fitness,
and beauty of all it contained; then the dressing-box received
a share, but a much smaller share, of attention; and lastly,
with fingers trembling with eagerness, she untied the pack-
thread that was wound round the workbox, and slowly took off
cover after cover; she almost screamed when the last was
removed. The box was of satinwood, beautifully finished, and
lined with crimson silk; and Mrs. Montgomery had taken good
care it should want nothing that Ellen might need to keep her
clothes in perfect order.

"Oh, Mamma, how beautiful! Oh, Mamma, how good you are! Mamma,
I promise you I'll never be a slattern. Here is more cotton
than I can use up in a great while — every number, I do think;
and needles, oh, the needles! what a parcel of them! and,
Mamma, what a lovely scissors! Did you choose it, Mamma, or
did it belong to the box?"

"I chose it."

"I might have guessed it, Mamma, it's just like you. And
here's a thimble — fits me exactly! and an emery-bag! how