The shock sobered the father and silenced
the mother. Miss Brown was extinguished with the aid of a table-
cover, much water, and many neighbours; but she was horribly burnt
all over, except her face.
* * * * *
I made Miss Brown's acquaintance a few days later. She was lying
on a bed made up on two chairs, and was covered with cotton wool.
She had scarcely any pain, and could not move at all; and the small
face that peered out of what she called her "pitty warm snow" was
wan and drawn and had a far-away look in the dark eyes.
Miss Brown possessed one treasure, her 'luvly miss.' I suppose I
must call it a doll, though in what its claim to the title
consisted I dared not ask; Miss Brown would have deeply resented
the enquiry. It was a very large potato with a large and a small
bulge. Into the large bulge were inserted three pieces of fire-
wood, the body and arms of 'luvly miss'; legs she had none.
How Miss Brown came by this treasure I never heard. She had an
impression that it "flied froo the winder"--I fancy Mr Brown had a
hand in the manufacture in one of his lucid moments; but it was a
treasure indeed and the joy of Miss Brown's life. She held long
conversations with 'luvly miss' on all familiar subjects; and
apparently obtained much strange and rare information from her.
For example, Miss Brown and 'luvly miss' in some previous stage of
their existence had inhabited a large chimney-pot together, "where
it was always so warm and a bootie 'mell of cookin'.
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