She lived in the city , and Ralph soon arranged his work so that he could give up his noon hour , and go to model the child ; for every penny he could earn or save now was very precious , as he still hoped to go abroad . The girls were so delighted with this good fortune , that they did not stay for the races , but went home to tell the happy news , leaving the boys to care for the cats , and enjoy the various matches to come off that day . `` I 'm so glad I tried to look pleasant when I was lying on the board while Ralph did my head , for the pleasantness got into the clay face , and that made the lady like it , '' said Jill , as she lay resting on the sofa . `` I always thought it was a dear , bright little face , but now I love and admire it more than ever , '' cried Merry , kissing it gratefully , as she remembered the help and pleasure it had given Ralph . Chapter XXIV . Down the River A fortnight later , the boys were picking apples one golden October afternoon , and the girls were hurrying to finish their work , that they might go and help the harvesters . It was six weeks now since the new school began , and they had learned to like it very much , though they found that it was not all play , by any means . But lessons , exercise , and various sorts of housework made an agreeable change , and they felt that they were learning things which would be useful to them all their lives . They had been making underclothes for themselves , and each had several neatly finished garments cut , fitted , and sewed by herself , and trimmed with the pretty tatting Jill made in such quantities while she lay on her sofa . Now they were completing new dressing sacks , and had enjoyed this job very much , as each chose her own material , and suited her own taste in the making . Jill 's was white , with tiny scarlet leaves all over it , trimmed with red braid and buttons so like checkerberries she was tempted to eat them . Molly 's was gay , with bouquets of every sort of flower , scalloped all round , and adorned with six buttons , each of a different color , which she thought the last touch of elegance . Merry 's , though the simplest , was the daintiest of the three , being pale blue , trimmed with delicate edging , and beautifully made . Mrs. Minot had been reading from Miss Strickland 's `` Queens of England '' while the girls worked , and an illustrated Shakspeare lay open on the table , as well as several fine photographs of historical places for them to look at as they went along . The hour was over now , the teacher gone , and the pupils setting the last stitches as they talked over the lesson , which had interested them exceedingly . `` I really believe I have got Henry 's six wives into my head right at last . Two Annes , three Katherines , and one Jane . Now I 've seen where they lived and heard their stories , I quite feel as if I knew them , '' said Merry , shaking the threads off her work before she folded it up to carry home . '' ` King Henry the Eighth to six spouses was wedded , One died , one survived , two divorced , two beheaded , ' was all I knew about them before . Poor things , what a bad time they did have , '' added Jill , patting down the red braid , which would pucker a bit at the corners .
`` Katherine Parr had the best of it , because she outlived the old tyrant and so kept her head on , '' said XXXXX , winding the thread round her last button , as if bound to fasten it on so firmly that nothing should decapitate that .
Annes Eighth Jill Katherines Minot Molly XXIV afternoon braid right