was quite impossible. She could scarcely step out on the veranda, go
into the parlor, or take a turn in the garden by herself, but in
a moment Miss Stevens was at her side fawning upon and flattering
her--telling her how sweet and pretty and amiable she was, how dearly
she loved her, and how much she thought of her papa too: he was so
handsome and so good; everybody admired him and thought him such a
fine-looking gentleman, so polished in his manners, so agreeable and
entertaining in conversation.

Then she would press all sorts of dainties upon the little girl
in such a way that it was next to impossible to decline them, and
occasionally even went so far as to suggest improvements, or rather
alterations, in her dress, which she said was entirely too plain.

"You ought to have more flounces on your skirts, my dear," she
remarked one day. "Skirt flounced to the waist are so very pretty and
dressy, and you would look sweetly in them, but I notice you don't
wear them at all. Do ask your papa to let you get a new dress and have
it made so; I am sure he would consent, for any one can see that he is
very fond of you. He doesn't think of it; we can't expect gentlemen
to notice such little matters; you ought to have a mamma to attend
to such things for you. Ah! if you were my child, I would dress you
sweetly, you dear little thing!"

"Thank you, ma'am, I daresay you mean to be very kind," replied Elsie,
trying not to look annoyed, "but I don't want a mamma, since my own
dear mother has gone to heaven; papa is enough for me, and I like the
way he dresses me. He always buys my dresses himself and says how they
are to be made. The dressmaker wanted to put more flounces on, but
papa didn't want them and neither did I. He says he doesn't like to