the State
of Harpeth to Twin Oaks in the car of my Uncle, the General Robert,
for I knew that upon this evening I must make a new and terrible
toilet and I would require much time thereto.

The good old Nannette and my Governess Madam Fournet have always
taught me that the art of a lovely woman's toilet could not be
performed in less than two hours, and I felt that I had better begin
in the way to which I was accustomed and go as far as I could in that
direction, then finish in the manly manner which would now be of a
necessity to me.

The good Bonbon, whom I now know is called Sam, had laid out my
evening apparel, from the queer dancing shoes with flat heels to a
very stiff and high collar, upon a couch in the huge room, and after
my bath I began to put them upon me with as much rapidity as was
possible to me. For a few moments all went well, even up to having
tucked the fine and very stiff white linen shirt garment into the
silky black cloth trousers, but a trouble arose when I put upon myself
the beautiful long coat that is in the shape of a raven, which the
American gentleman wears for evening toilet. My shoulders were
sufficiently broad to hold it nicely in place and it fell with a
gracefulness upon my hips, but at my waist it collapsed on account of
a slimness in that locality. The fit of the tweed, which had been like
to that of a bag, had been very correct and had not revealed the curve
of waist, but now it was manifest.

"What is it that you must do, Roberta, to disguise your roundness of a
young woman? All is lost!" I said to myself in despair. Then a thought
came to me. I had never been habited in a corset in my life on account
of a prejudice entertained to that garment by my Nannette, but I
bethought me to remove that shirt and also the silk one underneath and
swath about me one of the heavy towels of the bath. Immediately I did
so and fastened it in place with a needle and thread from the
gentleman's traveling case that I found in the pocket of my bag. Over
it I then drew the silk undershirt and then that of fine linen, before
again putting myself into the black raven's dress. Behold, all
roundness and slimness had disappeared and when the collar was added I
could see that I was as beautifully habited as either Mr. Peter
Scudder or that Mr. Saint Louis of the boat.

"Roberta of Grez and Bye," I said to myself as I looked into the tall
mirror, "it is indeed a sorrow to you that you cannot make your
cou