Description

(11) At first she felt inclined to be provoked with Lottie for bringing such a thing and causing her to be laughed at. (12) However, the remembrance of her parting words, “I raised it all myself. But don’t eat it,” made her smile in spite of herself. (13) This encouraged the girl opposite to slip over to the seat beside Flora, as Mrs. Hazeley was occupying the one in front, and the two girls, although entire strangers to each other, chatted away busily, until the train stopped at one of the stations, where the girl and her father, who sat behind her, left the car. (14) Soon after, Flora found herself at home, Bantamville and Brinton being but a short distance apart.

(15) This brings us to the opening of our story

(16) It was Lottie’s potato that lay upon the table, and Flora had been wondering what to do with it. (17) The more she examined it, the more she became convinced that, in spite of its odd looks and bumps, it had escaped with honors in a bachelor’s life of fashion and the many pleasant sights and scenes she had met with in […] in her father’s hands, which joined Mrs. Graham’s, of Aunt Bess herself, and much more.

(18) “But what am I to do with the potato?” she questioned. (19) “I am not to eat it. (20) I don’t care to, either.”

(21) “Oh! I know. I will plant it in a jar of water and let it grow. (22) That would please Lottie, I guess.”

(23) She soon found a jar as she wanted, and after washing it clean and bright, filled it full of clear water, and carefully placed the potato, and up, in it, and then looked about for a suitable place for it.

In the passage, the phrase “made her smile in spite of herself” (sentence 12) mainly serves to

• convey that Flora likes Lottie’s gift even though it initially annoyed her
• demonstrate that Flora hopes to make a new friend on her train ride
• illustrate that Flora wants to be happy about Lottie’s gift but can’t
• show Flora overcoming her reluctance to return to Bantamville