University of Virginia Library

DIALOGUE.

SPOKEN BY THREE LITTLE MISSES.

Lucy.
Dear, what a noise these little girls are making;
Children what puts you into such a taking?

Nancy.
Why dont you know, that uncle John is come,
And he has brought our cousin Julia home—

Eliza.
The prettiest waxen baby ever seen—

Nancy.
And a straw bonnet trimm'd and lin'd with green—

Eliza.
With flaxen hair and teeth as if they grew—

Nancy.
A new pellise, and pink kid slippers too—

Eliza.
With sweet blue eyes, she opens them and shuts them—

Nancy.
A beautiful red trunk, in which she puts them—

Eliza.
Dress'd in a satin slip—

Lucy.
Do pray be quiet;
One would suppose by all this fuss and riot,
You never saw a waxen doll before;
If she has that and fifty play things more,
'Tis nothing strange.—Indeed, you make me blush,
To hear you talk so much like babies, hush.

Nancy.
Dear, you're so grave and give yourself such airs,
And talk so sensibly; but pray who cares?
For all your serious face, miss, we can see
You love fine clothes and dolls as well as we.

Lucy.
I love fine clothes?—I hope not, I've been taught,
Not to be vain of things so cheaply bought.
Mamma has told me: child if you are vain
Of finery, it is confessing plain
That you're a foolish, childish, silly creature.

Eliza.
Yes, and she bade you treat us with good nature,
And not to think yourself so good and clever
As to be finding fault with us for ever.
And 'tother evening my father said,
Women were fond of glitter and parade;
Fine clothes, fine furniture, fine coaches, and—

Lucy.
You talk of what you do not understand;
Papa was joking—

Eliza.
Joking, now I reckon
He spoke as true and serious as a deacon.

Nancy.
Why is it wrong to love a pretty doll
With such fine clothes, such hair, and eyes and all?

Eliza.
I'm sure if it is naughty to love play,
We little girls are naughty every day.

Nancy.
And if it is I think it very hard;
For yesterday mamma received a card,
Inviting her to come and meet a few
Good social friends, and play a pool at loo.

Eliza.
A loo what's that?

Nancy.
What? why I hardly know;
They've cards, and all set round a table, so
They all put money in a box, and then
Shuffle the cards, put money in again,
And keep on shuffling; sometimes Pam they call,
And she who shuffles longest takes up all.

Eliza.
Well that's a foolish play, indeed, for a woman;
But if our mothers spend their time in common;
In play and such like, pray are we to blame
If with our baby things we do the same?

Lucy.
I would not waste my time so if I might,
I think we had better learn to read and write.

Eliza.
Well dear I love my school, as well as you,
And love my book, love my needle too.
Dear I can hem and sew—

Nancy.
And so can I,
And the next quarter I intend to try
To work a sampler—

Eliza.
I shall work one too
Upon white canvas all with pink and blue.

Lucy.
That's my dear sisters this is being good,
Industrious and wise as children should;
It will charm all our friends, and the next year.
When as we hope again to meet them here—

Eliza.
I'll prove I have not spent my time in vain—

Nancy.
And I shall strive a medal to obtain.

Eliza.
O, if I could but get the highest prize,
What joy would sparkle in my mother's eyes:
But how?—

Lucy.
Tis very hard to get, my dear,
One must be very good for a whole year,
Must not be rude, must never tell a lie,
Be neat, polite, industrious, but I
Shall never get it—

Nancy.
Do dear let us try,
Wont you?

Eliza.
Yes, that I will, nor throw away
One moment more in idleness or play.

Lucy.
And if we do our best in such a cause,
We're certain of one prize, our friends' applause.