A Little Maid of Old Philadelphia

								

sharply. But Gilbert's words made her more hopeful; Winifred was sure
that Gilbert was right, and that Hero would come safely home.
"Come up to my room, Ruthie; Mother has given me her scrap-bag. I can
have all the pieces of silk and chintz to make things for my dolls, and
you can pick out something to make your Cecilia a bonnet, and perhaps a
cape."
"Oh! Truly, Winifred?" responded Ruth, almost forgetting Hero in this
tempting offer. The two little girls ran up the broad stairway to
Winifred's room, which was at the back of the house overlooking the
garden. The two windows had broad window-seats, and on one of these, in
a small chair, made of stiff pasteboard and covered with a flowered
chintz, sat "Josephine," Winifred's most treasured doll. Josephine wore
a very full skirt of crimson silk, a cape of the same material, and on
her head rested a bonnet of white silk, on the front of which was a tall
white feather. There were two smaller dolls, and each occupied a chair
exactly like the one in which Josephine was seated, but neither of them
was so beautifully dressed.
"I made that bonnet myself," Winifred declared, as Ruth knelled down
beside the dolls and exclaimed admiringly over Josephine's fine apparel.
"And that feather is one that came floating into our garden. Gilbert
says it's an eagle's feather," she continued.
"It is lovely!" Ruth said, "and this window is the nicest place to play
dolls in all Philadelphia. And these dolls' chairs are splendid. I wish
I had one for Cecilia."
"Well, why don't you make one? I helped Grandma make these. All you have
to do is cut the pieces out of cardboard, cover them with cloth, and sew
them together. I'll help you," said Winifred, as she opened a closet
door and drew out a brown linen bag.
"This is the scrap-bag. Look, Ruthie;" and she drew out a long strip of
plaided silk.
"That would make a lovely sash for Cecilia," said Ruth, "but of course
it would be nice for Josephine," she added quickly, half-afraid that she
had seemed grasping of Winifred's possessions.
"Josephine doesn't like a sash," said Winifred. "You take it home and
tell Cecilia it's a present from Aunt Winifred."
Then there was a roll of small pieces of pale blue satin; just right to
make a bonnet for Ruth's doll.
For some time the little girls played happily with the bright pieces of
silk, selecting bits for one or the other of the dolls, so that when the
big clock in the hall struck twelve Ruth jumped up in surprise.
"Oh, Winnie! It's dinner-time! What will Aunt Deborah say to me?" she
exclaimed, putting on her hat, and gathering up the silk pieces.
"Thank you, Winnie! I must run. Aunt Deborah doesn't like me to be late,
ever," she said, hurrying toward the stairway.
"Come over to-morrow and I'll help you make a doll's chair; and I hope
you'll find Hero safe at home," Winifred called after her as Ruth ran
down the stairs.
At Winifred's words all Ruth's pleasure in the morning's play, in the