"ipresumeyouareagirdle,"saidtheshirt-collar,"asortofundergirdle.iseethatyouareuseful,aswellasornamental,mylittlelady."

"youmustnotspeaktome,"saidthegarter;"idonotthinkihavegivenyouanyencouragementtodoso."

"oh,whenanyoneisasbeautifulasyouare,"saidtheshirt-collar,"isnotthatencouragementenough?"

"getaway;don'tcomesonearme,"saidthegarter,"youappeartomequitelikeaman."

"iamafinegentlemancertainly,"saidtheshirt-collar,"ipossessaboot-jackandahair-brush."thiswasnottrue,forthesethingsbelongedtohismaster;buthewasaboaster.

"don'tcomesonearme,"saidthegarter;"iamnotaccustomedtoit."

"affectation!"saidtheshirt-collar.

thentheyweretakenoutofthewash-tub,starched,andhungoverachairinthesunshine,andthenlaidontheironing-dnowcametheglowingiron."mistresswidow,"saidtheshirt-collar,"littlemistresswidow,ifeelquitewarm.iamchanging,iamlosingallmycreases.youareburningaholeinme.ugh!iproposetoyou."

"youoldrag,"saidtheflat-iron,drivingproudlyoverthecollar,forshefanciedherselfasteam-engine,whichrollsovertherailwayanddrawscarriages."youoldrag!"saidshe.

theedgesoftheshirt-collarwerealittlefrayed,sothescissorswerebroughttocutthemsmooth."oh!"exclaimedtheshirt-collar,"whatafirst-ratedanceryouwouldmake;youcanstretchoutyourlegsowell.ineversawanythingsocharming;iamsurenohumanbeingcoulddothesame."

"ishouldthinknot,"repliedthescissors.

"yououghttobeacountess,"saidtheshirtcollar;"butallipossessconsistsofafinegentleman,aboot-jack,andacomb.iwishihadanestateforyoursake."

"what!