"Please, sir, I guess you'd better step up right away, or it will be toolate, for I heard Miss Rose say she knew you wouldn't like it, andshe'd never dare to let you see her."Phebe said this as she popped her head into the study, where Dr.
Alec sat reading a new book.
"They are at it, are they?" he said, looking up quickly, and givinghimself a shake, as if ready for a battle of some sort.
"Yes, sir, as hard as they can talk, and Miss Rose don't seem toknow what to do, for the things are ever so stylish, and she lookselegant in 'em; though I like her best in the old ones," answeredPhebe.
"You are a girl of sense. I'll settle matters for Rosy, and you'll lenda hand. Is everything ready in her room, and are you sure youunderstand how they go?""Oh, yes, sir; but they are so funny! I know Miss Rose will thinkit's a joke," and Phebe laughed as if something tickled herimmensely.
"Never mind what she thinks so long as she obeys. Tell her to do itfor my sake, and she will find it the best joke she ever saw. Iexpect to have a tough time of it, but we'll win yet," said theDoctor, as he marched upstairs with the book in his hand, and anodd smile on his face.
There was such a clatter of tongues in the sewing-room that no oneheard his tap at the door, so he pushed it open and took anobservation. Aunt Plenty, Aunt Clara, and Aunt Jessie were allabsorbed in gazing at Rose, who slowly revolved between themand the great mirror, in a full winter costume of the latest fashion.
"Bless my heart! worse even than I expected," thought the Doctor,with an inward groan, for, to his benighted eyes, the girl lookedlike a trussed fowl, and the fine new dress had neither grace,beauty, nor fitness to recommend it.
The suit was of two peculiar shades of blue, so arranged thatpatches of light and dark distracted the eye. The upper skirt wastied so lightly back that it was impossible to take a long step, andthe under one was so loaded with plaited frills that it "wobbled" noother word will express it ungracefully, both fore and aft. A bunchof folds was gathered up just below the waist behind, and a greatbow rode a-top. A small jacket of the same material was adornedwith a high ruff at the back, and laid well open over the breast, todisplay some lace and a locket. Heavy fringes, bows, puffs, ruffles,and revers finished off the dress, making one's head ache to thinkof the amount of work wasted, for not a single graceful line struckthe eye, and the beauty of the material was quite lost in theprofusion of ornament.
A high velvet hat, audaciously turned up in front, with a bunch ofpink roses and a sweeping plume, was cocked over one ear, and,with her curls braided into a club at the back of her neck, Rose'shead looked more like that of a dashing young cavalier than amodest little girl's. High-heeled boots tilted her well forward, atiny muff pinioned her arms, and a spotted veil, tied so closelyover her face that her eyelashes were rumpled by it, gave the lasttouch of absurdity to her appearance.
"Now she looks like other girls, and as I like to see her," Mrs.
Clara was saying, with an air of great satisfaction.
"She does look like a fashionable young lady, but somehow I missmy little Rose, for children dressed like children in my day,"answered Aunt Plenty, peering through her glasses with a troubledlook, for she could not imagine the creature before her ever sittingin her lap, running to wait upon her, or making the house gay witha child's blithe presence.
"Things have changed since your day, Aunt, and it takes time toget used to new ways. But you, Jessie, surely like this costumebetter than the dowdy things Rose has been wearing all summer.
Now, be honest, and own you do," said Mrs. Clara, bent on beingpraised for her work.
"Well, dear to be quite honest, then, I think it is frightful,"answered Mrs. Jessie, with a candour that caused revolving Roseto stop in dismay.
"Hear, hear," cried a deep voice, and with a general start the ladiesbecame aware that the enemy was among them.
Rose blushed up to her hat brim, and stood, looking, as she felt,like a fool, while Mrs. Clara hastened to explain.
"Of course, I don't expect you to like it, Alec, but I don't consideryou a judge of what is proper and becoming for a young lady.
Therefore, I have taken the liberty of providing a pretty street suitfor Rose. She need not wear it if you object, for I know wepromised to let you do what you liked with the poor dear for ayear.""It is a street costume, is it?" asked the Doctor, mildly. "Do youknow, I never should have guessed that it was meant for winterweather and brisk locomotion. Take a turn, Rosy, and let me seeall its beauties and advantages."Rose tried to walk off with her usual free tread, but the under-skirtgot in her way, the over-skirt was so tight she could not take a longstep, and her boots made it impossible to carry herself perfectlyerect.
"I haven't got used to it yet," she said, petulantly, kicking at hertrain, as she turned to toddle back again.
"Suppose a mad dog or a runaway horse was after you, could youget out of the way without upsetting, Colonel," asked the Doctor,with a twinkle in the eyes that were fixed on the rakish hat.
"Don't think I could, but I'll try," and Rose made a rush across theroom. Her boot-heels caught on a rug, several strings broke, herhat tipped over her eyes, and she plunged promiscuously into achair, where she sat laughing so infectiously that all but Mrs. Clarajoined in her mirth.
"I should say that a walking suit in which one could not walk, anda winter suit which exposes the throat, head, and feet to cold anddamp, was rather a failure, Clara, especially as it has no beauty toreconcile one to its utter unfitness," said Dr. Alec, as he helpedRose undo her veil, adding, in a low tone, "Nice thing for the eyes;you'll soon see spots when it's off as well as when it's on, and, byand by, be a case for an oculist.""No beauty!" cried Mrs. Clara, warmly, "Now, that is just a man'sblindness. This is the best of silk and camel's hair, real ostrichfeathers, and an expensive ermine muff. What could be in bettertaste, or more proper for a young girl?""I'll shew you, if Rose will go to her room and oblige me byputting on what she finds there," answered the Doctor, withunexpected readiness.
"Alec, if it is a Bloomer, I shall protest. I've been expecting it, but Iknow I cannot bear to see that pretty child sacrificed to your wildideas of health. Tell me it isn't a Bloomer!" and Mrs. Clara claspedher hands imploringly.
"It is not.""Thank Heaven!" and she resigned herself with a sigh of relief,adding plaintively, "I did hope you'd accept my suit, for poor Rosehas been afflicted with frightful clothes long enough to spoil thetaste of any girl.""You talk of my afflicting the child, and then make a helpless guylike that of her!" answered the Doctor, pointing to the little fashionplate that was scuttling out of sight as fast as it could go.
He closed the door with a shrug, but before anyone could speak,his quick eye fell upon an object which caused him to frown, anddemand in an indignant tone"After all I have said, were you really going to tempt my girl withthose abominable things?""I thought we put them away when she wouldn't wear them,"murmured Mrs. Clara, whisking a little pair of corsets out of sightwith guilty haste. "I only brought them to try, for Rose is growingstout, and will have no figure if it is not attended to soon," sheadded, with an air of calm conviction that roused the Doctor stillmore, for this was one of his especial abominations.
"Growing stout! Yes, thank Heaven, she is, and shall continue todo it, for Nature knows how to mould a woman better than anycorset-maker, and I won't have her interfered with. My dear Clara,have you lost your senses that you can for a moment dream ofputting a growing girl into an instrument of torture like this?" andwith a sudden gesture he plucked forth the offending corsets fromunder the sofa cushion, and held them out with the expression onewould wear on beholding the thumbscrews or the rack of ancienttimes.
"Don't be absurd, Alec. There is no torture about it, for tight lacingis out of fashion, and we have nice, sensible things nowadays.
Everyone wears them; even babies have stiffened waists to supporttheir weak little backs," began Mrs. Clara, rushing to the defenceof the pet delusion of most women.
"I know it, and so the poor little souls have weak backs all theirdays, as their mothers had before them. It is vain to argue th............