Oh what shall we do?
I wouldn't venture to touch 'em, even to put them back." "What a big word that was you used just now," said Meta, laughing, "It 'most choked you." "Well when I'm bigger it won't," returned Vi, still gazing at the table.
"Oh how lovely they are! I do wish mamma would let us play with them." "So do I: and these dolls too.

It's just delightful to dress and undress them.

Here, Vi, help me put this one's shoes on." The temptation to handle the tiny, dainty shoes and see how well they fitted the feet of the pretty doll, was great, and not giving herself time to think, Violet dropped down on the carpet by Meta's side and complied with the request.

"Just to slip on those lovely shoes, now that they were there right before her, was not much," so said the tempter: then, "Now having done a little, what difference if she did a little more ?" Thoughtless and excitable, she presently forgot mamma and her commands, and became as eagerly engaged as Meta herself in the fascinating employment of looking over the contents of the trunks, and trying now one, and now another suit upon the dollies.
"Now this one's dressed, and I'll set her up to the table," said Meta, jumping up.

"Oh my!" Something fell with a little crash on the lid of the trunk by Vi's side, and there at her feet lay one of the beautiful old china plates broken into a dozen pieces.
The child started up perfectly aghast, the whole extent of her delinquency flashing upon her in that instant.