ur best hat; those pink daisies are
too faded to wear. We'll get a new hair ribbon, too. And I must have
some other lace in the neck of my silk waist and----"

"Oh, if you're going to talk ribbon, artificial flowers, and all that
rot I'm going over to Harlings," announced Carl, rising.

"Indeed you're not," objected his mother. "You're going to get out the
blacking bottle and start cleaning and polishing the shoes. There'll be
seven pairs to get ready and I want a fine shine on every one of them."

"But what's the use of doing it now? They'll get all dusty again before
the day after to-morrow," Carl grumbled.

"Not if they're put away," came in even accents from his mother. "We'll
just have to wear slippers, sneakers and things until Tuesday. I guess
we can get along. We can't go leaving everything until the last minute
or we shall be all up in a heap. We must begin directly to get things
done. I shall braid your hair, Mary, and Nell's right away, so it will
be well crimped. And Timmie, you and Carl and Martin have all got to
have baths. Yes, you have, whether you like it or not. If you don't you
can't go. That's all there is about that, so stop fussing. Carl, you
put some kettles of water on the stove to heat. You boys must be
scrubbed whether the rest of us are or not. You need it most. And Mary,
run like a good girl and see if you can hunt up a clean pair of
stockings for everybody--stockings without too many holes. Mercy on us!
I wish Mr. Coulter had given us a little more notice--indeed I do!"

"I don't see who's going to know, in that push, whether I've had a bath
or not," persisted the argumentative Tim.

"You don't? Have you happened to get a glimpse of that ebony ring round
your neck?" interrogated his mother significantly. "Anybody who saw
that would have some notion."

"I hate a bath!"

"You look it."

"Oh, shut up, Timmie," cautioned Carl in an undertone. "Don't go rowing
at Ma now. If you do she may get her back up and not take you to the
party at all. I hate to be scrubbed within an inch of my life as much
as you do, but I'm not saying so to-day. I'd be boiled in oil sooner
than not go to this party. Besides, your neck is black. I'll bet it
will take sapolio to get it clean. But don't go yammering about it.
Just hop and do as Ma tells you. It's the only way."

Heeding the wisdom of his elder brother Tim ceased further protests and
_hopped_.

Indeed the hopping became very spirited and general