Edith King Hall

“ Belinda thought a moment
"It was merely a habit I had fallen into," said she.
"You should never become a slave to a habit," replied the curly-headed Sailor-Lad. He spoke reprovingly, as he thought of his many heart-aches.
She did not like to be reproved, so she changed the subject.
"You made a mistake," she said. "Mademoiselle Cerise's dress is very pretty, but it is not precisely like mine; the pattern is larger and a little louder, and the color is lighter and a little harsher."
"Well, perhaps," said the Sailor-Lad. He spoke very cheerful now, he felt in such good spirits. ”

“ But like a true-hearted sailor, he resolved to try again. So the next day he said to her:
“Belinda, I’m afraid we are going to have heavy weather, there are so many clouds overhead. Look up out of the sky-light and you will see for yourself.”
“I would rather not,” she said, keeping her eyes tightly closed. “I don’t like seeing clouds; it depresses my spirits.” ”

“ You need not send her. I will bring my little friend with me to-morrow afternoon when we shall be passing your shop. She will like to carry her new doll through the streets.”
Next morning when Mademoiselle Cerise was brought back to the shop after having been absent since the previous afternoon, the Sailor-Lad was struck by something very familiar about the appearance of her new blue muslin dress. At first he could not think why. Then he understood; the muslin was—so it seemed to him—of exactly the same pattern and exactly the same color as Belinda’s dress. ”