ill not,
be made to understand how great and real the torment is, and young
though Kitty was, she had, already learned this, and her heart sank.

"I hate light stockings too," said Betty; "they look so ugly with black
shoes."

It was an unfortunate remark to make just then.

"Ah," said Aunt Pike triumphantly, "I suspected that vanity was at the
bottom of it all! Now try on this one at once, Katherine; make haste."
She went to the door.--"Anthony," she called, "come here to Kitty's
room, I want you," and she stood over the three victims until their poor
shrinking legs were encased in the hideous, irritating gray horrors.

Oh, the anger of Kitty and the dismay of Betty! Oh, the horrible, damp,
sticky feeling that new stockings seem never to be without!
Betty's blue eyes filled with tears of helpless misery, Kitty's gray
ones with rebellion. Why should they be tormented in this way? It was
so cruel, so unjust! They had not suffered from the cold more than had
other people, certainly they had not complained of it--not half as much
as had Mrs. Pike and Anna, who were clad in wool from their throats to
their toes.

Tony sat looking at his poor little legs disgustedly, but it was the
ugliness of his new footgear that struck him most; he did not feel the
torment as his sisters did. Then quite suddenly Betty stripped off the
detestable things.

"Thank you," she said, "I'll wear my old ones. I prefer the cold."

Mrs. Pike coloured with annoyance and set her lips firmly. "How dare
you defy me in that way, Elizabeth!" she cried. "I have told you to
wear those stockings, and you _are_ to wear them. Remember, I mean what
I say. I wonder your father has not insisted long before this on your
wearing flannel next your skin. Don't you know that by going about in
flimsy cotton things in all weathers you are laying up for yourself a
rheumatic old age, and all kinds of serious illness?"

Kitty shuddered, but not at the prospect drawn for her by her aunt.
"Father knows that we can't," she said seriously, "so he never tried to
make us."

Betty, who had been absorbed in thought, looked up eagerly. "I would
much rather have rheumatism than itchy stockings," she protested quite
gravely. "I don't mind a bit, Aunt Pike. And--well, you see we can't
be sure that we shall have an old age, or rheumatics."

Mrs. Pike grew really angry. "Put on those stockings at once, miss,
and fasten them to your suspenders.--Kitty, fasten