one
after one
One pennyworth of these beads was colored green , another red , a third was colored like pearls , and the fourth was a miscellaneous packet of many colors . A judicious selection of these beads could always provide a new and magnificent necklace at the expense of little more than a half-hour 's easy work . Because the sun was shining she brought out her white dress , and for a time was busy on it . There had been five tucks in the dress , but one after one they had to be let out . This was the last tuck that remained , and it also had to go , but even with such extra lengthening the dress would still swing free of her ankles . Her mother had promised to add a false hem to it when she got time , and Mary determined to remind her of this promise as soon as she came in from work . She polished her shoes , put on the white dress , and then did up her hair in front of the cracked looking-glass .