but in your church, it seems, they prefer the other course. You are
under my care in the house, at any rate, and I shall do my duty by you."

"I do not understand you, Aunt Candy," Matilda spoke, quite bewildered.

"No, my dear, I suppose not. That is just what I think so
objectionable. But we will do what we can to remedy it."

"What do you want to prepare me for, Aunt Erminia?"

"For your position, my dear, as a member of the Church. That is not a
child's position. You have placed yourself in it; and now the question
is how to enable you to maintain it properly. I cannot treat you as a
child any longer."

Matilda wondered very much how she was to be treated. However, silence
seemed the wisest plan at present.

"I suppose _I_ am a child still," remarked Maria.

"I have never observed anything inconsistent with that supposition, my
dear," her aunt serenely answered.

"And if I had been baptized last night, you would have more respect for
me," went on poor Maria.

"My respect is not wholly dependent on forms, my dear. If it had been
done in a proper way, of course, things would be different from what
they are. I _should_ have more respect for you."

"Clarissa has done it in a proper way, I suppose?"

"When she was of a proper age--yes; certainly."

"And then, what did she promise? All that they promised last night?"

"The vows are much the same."

"Well, people ought not to make vows till they are ready to keep
them--ought they?"

"Certainly they should not."

"Well----"

"My dear, it is a very bad habit to begin every sentence with a 'well.'
You do it constantly."

"Well, Aunt Candy----"

"There!" exclaimed Clarissa. "Again."

"Well, I don't care," said Maria. "I can't help it. I don't know when I
do it. I was going to ask--and you put everything out of my head.--Aunt
Candy, do you think Clarissa has given up, really, the pomps and
vanities and all that, you know? She spent twenty-four dollars, I heard
her say, on the trimming of that muslin dress; and she bought a parasol
the other day for ten dollars, when one for three would have done
perfectly well; and she pays always twelve dollars for her boots,
twelve and ten dollars; when she could get nice ones for four and five.
Now what's that?"

"It's impertinence," said Clarissa. "And untruth; for the four and five
dollar boots hurt my feet."

"They are _exactly_ the same," said Maria; "except the kid and the
trimming and the beautiful making.