I love Queen Mab as if she was my own sister," continued Flossy, in a pettish tone.

"You know I do, Susy.

I always thought, if anything should happen to Queen Mab, and I lost her, I should certainly dress in mourning; now you needn't laugh." "O, I can't help laughing, when anybody makes such a fuss over a doll," replied Susy, with a curl of the lip.

"Anything that isn't alive, and hasn't any sense, and don't care for you! I like canary birds, and babies, and ponies, and that's enough to like." "Well, now, that's so funny!" said Florence, twitching the folds of Queen Mab's dress into place; "for the very reason I like my doll, is because she _isn't_ alive.

I wouldn't have been you, Susy Parlin, when you had your last canary bird, and let him choke to death." "O, no, Flossy, I didn't let him choke: I forgot to put any seed in the bottle, and he stuck his head in so deep, that he smothered to death." "I don't know but smothering is as bad as choking," said Florence; "and now your new bird will be sure to come to some bad end." "You're always saying hateful things," exclaimed Susy, a good deal vexed.