stepmother slowly, sitting down on the nursery rocking-chair
a day later. She had on a trailing morning wrapper of white
muslin with cherry ribbons, but there was a pin doing duty
for a button in one or two places and the lace was hanging
off a bit at the sleeve.

"Meg, dear, you're very untidy, you know, and Judy's absolutely
hopeless."

Meg was attired in an unbecoming green cashmere, with the elbows
out and the plush torn off in several places, while Judy's
exceedingly scant and faded pink zephyr had rents in several
places, and the colour was hardly to be seen for fruit-stains.

Meg coloured a little. "I know, Esther, and I'd like to be
nicely-dressed as well as anyone, but it really isn't worth
mending these old things."

She picked up her book about the elegant girls who were
disturbing her serenity and went over to the armchair with it.

"Well, Judy, you go and sew up those rents, and put some buttons
on your frock." Esther spoke with unusual determination.

Judy's eyes snapped and sparkled.

"'Is that a dagger that I see before me, the handle to my hand?
Come, let me grasp it,'" she said saucily, snatching one of the
pins from Esther's dress, fastening her own with it, and dropping
a curtsey.