t."
So Janice read the dates proposed the night before and Aunt Mary sat up in
bed, held her ear-trumpet, and beamed beatifically.
"I don't believe I ever can do all that," she said when Janice paused; "I
never was one to rush around pell-mell, but I've always been a great
believer in lettin' other folks enjoy themselves an' I shall try not to
interfere."
Janice hung the tiny memoranda up beside its owner's watch and stood at
attention for further orders.
"But I d'n know I'm sure what I can wear to-night," continued the one in
bed; "you know my bonnet was run over yesterday."
"Was it?"
"Yes,--it was the most sudden thing I ever saw. I thought it was the top of
my head at first."
"Was it spoiled?"
"Well, it wouldn't do for me again and I don't really believe it would
even do for Lucinda. We didn't bring it home with us anyhow an' so its no
use talkin' of it any more. I'm sure I wish I'd brought my other with me.
It wasn't quite as stylish, but it set so good on my head. As it is I
ain't got any bonnet to wear an' we're goin' in a box, Jack says,--I should
hate to look wrong in a box."
"But ladies in boxes do not wear anything," cried Janice reasuringly.
Aunt Mary jumped.
"Not _anything?_"
"On their heads."
"Oh!--Well, then the bonnet half of me'll be all right, but what _shall_ I
wear on the rest of me? I don't want to look out of fashion, you know. My,
but I wish I'd brought my Paisley shawl. I've got a Paisley shawl that's a
very rare pattern. There's cocoanuts in the border and a twisted design of
monkeys and their tails done in the center. An' there ain't a moth hole in
it--not one."
Janice looked out of the window.
"I've got a cameo pin, too," continued Aunt Mary reflectively. "My, but
that's a handsome pin, as I remember it. It's got Jupiter on it holdin' a
bunch of thunder and lightnin' an' receivin' the news of somebody's bein'
born--I used to know the whole story. But, you see, I expected to just be
sittin' by Jack's bed and I never thought to bring any of those dress-up
kind of things," she sighed.
Janice returned to the bed side.
"Hadn't you better begin to dress?" she howled suggestively. "They are
going to dine here before going to the theater and dinner is ordered in an
hour."
"Maybe I had," said Aunt Mary, "but--oh dear--I don't know what I _will_
wear!" She began to emerge from the bedclothes as she spoke.
"How would my green plaid waist do?" she asked earnestl
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