Page:Camperdown - Griffith - 1836.djvu/291

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THE THREAD AND NEEDLE STORE.
283

then was the time to see her. Talk of her beauty and musical voice; her bounding spirit and her grace of motion, behind the counter; what was all that to the seeing her up in Mrs. Armstrong's room, with the twin sisters! Then her joyous spirit relaxed; tape, bobbin, buttons, money, marketing, bank stock, rents—for Jenny managed all the money concerns; and Martin Barton was now immensely rich—then all was combed out of her head with the first brush that was put to her fine glossy hair.

It was the signal for fun and frolic, when her light step was heard bounding up the narrow stairs; and there stood the two girls ready to snatch the first kiss, and to say the first word. From the time they could hold the brush, they coveted the pleasure of combing and brushing her hair; and the poor thing was generally so tired that she was really glad when they were old enough to do it properly for her. So up she came, and down she sat on the sofa; and a world of things had she to hear from the two innocent girls; and then came the rummaging of her apron pockets and her ample basket; and then came Mrs. Armstrong, with her account of the progress of her pupils.

"Oh, such sweet walks as we have, dear Jenny Hart. Why can you not sometimes go with us? it would do you so much good," said Rona, a beautiful black eyed girl; "you must go with us to-morrow."

"Or, if you cannot take a walk, you can surely go with us to the museum in the evening, now that the shop closes at sundown," said Ida, the blue eye, and quite as beautiful as her sister.

"Why, that is true," said Jenny Hart, "and we can do a great deal in that way, now that winter is coming and the evenings long."

"Jenny Hart, dear, I want some fine cotton stockings," said Rona. "And I want gloves," said