A CHRISTMAS POSY

BY MRS MOLESWORTH

London, 29th February 1888.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS   PAGE "Grandmother Dear's" Old Watch— "'Come out here for a moment, Sylvia,' she called to her sister; 'we can see her as far as the corner.'" 2 My Pink Pet— "One day I was playing as usual in my own little room, when the door suddenly opened." 43 An Honest Little Man— "Him has one, zank you." 55 The Six Poor Little Princesses— "Ginevra found herself running upstairs, though not so fast as the evening before, for fear of dropping the precious parcel she held in her arms." 71 Basil's Violin— "In the pantry, when he took it into his head to pay a visit to the footmen." 101 The Missing Bon-bons— "'Yes,' said Maggie, 'I was getting the parasol.'" 139 Lost Rollo— "He stopped when he got up to us and began wagging his tail and rubbing his head against us in the sweetest way." 160 The Blue Dwarfs— "They were sliding down the branches of the tree in all directions." 195

GRANDMOTHER DEAR'S OLD WATCH

A FRAGMENT

Part I

"Or at least take me with you," said Molly, Sylvia's younger sister, eagerly.

Auntie hesitated—she glanced up at as much of the sky as could be seen through the lace-shrouded windows of their pretty Paris salon—it was already beginning to grow dusky, for though only half-past three, it was the thirty-first of December, and a dull day—and then turned with decision towards the door.

"No, dears," she said; "I shall go more quickly alone. Sylvia's cold would be none the better for going out so late, and I would rather