Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Ophie sat all day and sewed until her cheeks were very pink. It was the day before New Year's, and she felt that her new blue suit must be finished. She was sewing on buttons, and there were so many of them, and they were so small, and so slippery, that really it took much time and patience. But Sophie gave patience and perse verance, and at last the dress was done. With a happy heart she hung it away in the clothes press. To-morrow she was to wear it. Helena, the married sister who lived in the new hand some house on the corner, was going to receive calls all day in her lovely parlors that were just settled: and Sophie had been invited to spend the day, and help wait, on the guests, and enjoy all there was to enjoy. There was nothing that Sophie liked much better than to be dressed up, and play grown-up young lady in her sister's beautiful home. Alas for her plans There was another mar ried sister, living three miles away, and on that last night of the old year her baby grew sick, and in the gray dawn of the morning, a sleigh stood at the door, and Sophie's mamma came, with cloak and bonnet already on, to speak a last word to sophie.

Ophie sat all day and sewed until her cheeks were very pink. It was the day before New Year's, and she felt that her new blue suit must be finished. She was sewing on buttons, and there were so many of them, and they were so small, and so slippery, that really it took much time and patience. But Sophie gave patience and perse verance, and at last the dress was done. With a happy heart she hung it away in the clothes press. To-morrow she was to wear it. Helena, the married sister who lived in the new hand some house on the corner, was going to receive calls all day in her lovely parlors that were just settled: and Sophie had been invited to spend the day, and help wait, on the guests, and enjoy all there was to enjoy. There was nothing that Sophie liked much better than to be dressed up, and play grown-up young lady in her sister's beautiful home. Alas for her plans There was another mar ried sister, living three miles away, and on that last night of the old year her baby grew sick, and in the gray dawn of the morning, a sleigh stood at the door, and Sophie's mamma came, with cloak and bonnet already on, to speak a last word to sophie.