Mrs. Dean meditated. She did not quite like to ask this child to wear a
borrowed dress, and she felt that Florrie needed to take a lesson in
politeness. Drawing the latter aside, she said, "My darling, I am sorry
you should treat my little friend rudely; you have hardly spoken to
her."
"I can't help it, mamma. She isn't one of the set we go with. A little
common thing like that! See what shoes she has on. And her hands are so
red and coarse! They look as if she washed dishes for a living."
"Something very like it is the case, I'm afraid, Florrie dear. I fear
she has a very dull time at home. But the child is a little lady. I
shall feel very much ashamed if she is more a lady than my own
daughters. See, Effie has made friends with her."
"And so will I," said Florrie. "Forgive me, mamma, for being so silly."
And the three girls had a pleasant chat before the visitors came, and
grew so confidential that Cynthia told Effie and Florrie about the one
great shadow of her life--the mortgage which made her papa so unhappy,
and was such a worry to poor Aunt Kate. She didn't know what it was; it
seemed to her like some dreadful ogre always in the background ready to
pounce on the little home. Neither Effie nor Florrie knew, but they
agreed with her that it must be something horrid, and Effie promised to
ask her own papa, who knew everything, all about it.
"Depend upon it, Cynthia," said Effie, "if papa can do anything to help
you, he will.
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