Excerpt from Chapter I: "It was Caroline's birthday, and she had had some very pleasant presents. There was a blotting-book of blue leather (at least, it looked like leather), with pink and purple roses painted on it, from her younger sister Charlotte; and a paint-box-from her brother Charles-as good as new. 'I've hardly used it at all, ' he said, 'and it's much nicer than anything I could have bought you with my own money, and I've wiped all the paints clean.' 'It's lovely, ' said Caroline; 'and the beautiful brushes, too ' 'Real fitch, ' said Charles proudly. 'They've got points like needles.' 'Just like, ' said Caroline, putting them one after the other into her mouth, and then holding them up to the light. Besides the paint-box and the blotting-book, a tin-lined case had come from India, with a set of carved chess-men from father, and from mother some red and blue scarves, and, most glorious of imaginable gifts, a leopard-sk