"I want a pretty cap, and Miss Baylis says there is one just the thing here," said an elderly person in spectacles, with a florid complexion and a bustling manner, but, who was one of the richest of Miss Baylis's customers. "Is this it?" she asked, taking the cap out of Mary's hand, and turning to one of her friends. "Very pretty, isn't it? And quite new, Miss Baylis said. I'll just try it on." And the delicate little cap was presently placed on a head considerably too large for the shape. "Will it do, do you think?" said the lady, looking good-humoredly at Mary, while the friends had gone to some other part of the room, perhaps to avoid giving an opinion. Mary saw at once that it did not "do" at all. "I think, ma'am," said she, modestly, "if you will allow me, I can show you some others which may suit better!" "But this is a new style, is it not?" "Yes, ma'am, but—perhaps this, the style is not old of this one." And she presented a comfortable looking cap, much better suited to the age and appearance of the lady. "Ah, yes, this is very comfortable." And it looked comfortable too, Mary thought. "But," continued the lady, "I want something a little more dressy, you know. This is rather too much of a morning cap." "We can make up the same pattern in handsomer materials, if you think proper, ma'am," said Mary respectfully. "Well, yes, do so then. I think this suits me very well, and it fits so comfortably." At this moment Miss Baylis appeared, and immediately suspecting that the millinery had not been recommended with any particular eloquence, she began to praise the cap, entreated the lady to try it again, and expatiated so warmly on the becoming effect of the latest fashion, that the cap was purchased, and the lady departed, fully persuaded that she had the prettiest head-dress in the town. "I wish Miss Robson to attend in the show-room, you know, Mary," said Miss Baylis. "She was not quite ready, ma'am," replied Mary; "and she only asked me to wait until she came." Then Miss Robson came forward, and being a stylish looking little person, with a head and shoulders that suited every decoration that could be put upon them, and admirably showed off Miss Baylis's fashion, she seldom failed, by her flattery and insinuating manners, to persuade any purchasers who came within the power of her tongue, that the thing, whatever it might be, which seemed to please, or which required to be got rid of, was, without doubt, the very article they most wanted, and certainly ought to buy. "Mary, I was very near speaking out about that cap," said Jane, "for it vexed me to see it carried off by that foolish old lady. I wonder her companions did not advise her not to make herself look ridiculous." "I felt sorry to see so little idea of what is comfortable and suitable in old age," said Mary; "I did what I could to help it."