n a perambulater came along just then and
nothing happened worth recording. As soon as she had passed, however,
I mentioned that kissing was all right if one was engaged, but not
otherwise. And he said:

"But we are, aren't we?"

Although understood before, it had now come in full force. I, who had
been but Barbara Archibald before, was now engaged. Could it be I who
heard my voice saying, in a low tone, the "yes" of Destiny? It was!

We then went to the corner drug-store and had some soda, although
forbiden by my Familey because of city water being used. How strange
to me to recall that I had once thought the Clerk nice-looking, and had
even purchaced things there, such as soap and chocolate, in order to
speak a few words to him!

I was engaged, dear Reader, but not yet kissed. Tom came into our
vestabule with me, and would doubtless have done so when no one was
passing, but that George opened the door suddenly.

However, what difference, when we had all the rest of our Lives to kiss
in? Or so I then considered.

Carter Brooks came to dinner that night because his people were out of
town, and I think he noticed that I looked mature and dignafied, for he
stared at me a lot. And father said:

"Bab, you're not eating. Is it possable that that boarding school hollow
of yours is filling up?"

One's Familey is apt to translate one's finest Emotions into terms of
food and drink. Yet could I say that it was my Heart and not my Stomache
that was full? I could not.

During dinner I looked at Leila and wondered how she could be married
off. For until so I would continue to be but a Child, and not allowed
to be engaged or anything. I thought if she would eat some starches
it would help, she being pretty but thin. I therfore urged her to eat
potatos and so on, because of evening dress and showing her coller
bones, but she was quite nasty.

"Eat your dinner," she said in an unfraternal maner, "and stop watching
me. They're MY bones."

"I have no intention of being criticle," I said. "And they are your
bones, although not a matter to brag about. But I was only thinking, if
you were fater and had a permanant wave put in your hair, because one of
the girls did and it hardly broke off at all."

She then got up and flung down her napkin.

"Mother!" she said. "Am I to stand this sort of thing indefinately?
Because if I am I shall go to France and scrub floors in a Hospitle."

Well, I reflected, that would be almost as go