"He was angry when I wanted a shawl, when the cold weather set in." Mrs Mason gave her a little push of dismissal, and Ruth fell into the ranks by her friend, Miss Wood.
"Never mind, Ruthie; you're prettier than any of them," said a merry, good-natured girl, whose plainness excluded her from any of the envy of rivalry.
"Yes! I know I am pretty," said Ruth, sadly, "but I am sorry I have no better gown, for this is very shabby.

I am ashamed of it myself, and I can see Mrs Mason is twice as much ashamed.

I wish I need not go.

I did not know we should have to think about our own dress at all, or I should not have wished to go." "Never mind, Ruth," said Jenny, "you've been looked at now, and Mrs Mason will soon be too busy to think about you and your gown." "Did you hear Ruth Hilton say she knew she was pretty ?" whispered one girl to another, so loudly that Ruth caught the words.
"I could not help knowing," answered she, simply, "for many people have told me so." At length these preliminaries were over, and they were walking briskly through the frosty air; the free motion was so inspiriting that Ruth almost danced along, and quite forgot all about shabby gowns and grumbling guardians.

The shire-hall was even more striking than she had expected.