be silent
in business. So I've been planning to get hold of you and ask you where
and how you get those suits of yours, and what I ought to wear. You
see, after you marry I'll still be earning my living, and perhaps if I
could dress anything like you I could fool some business man into
thinking I was clever."

"As I do, you mean," said Miss Joline, cheerfully.

"Well--"

"Oh, I don't mind. But, my dear, good woman--oh, I suppose I oughtn't to
call you that."

"I don't care what you call me, if you can tell me how to make a
seventeen-fifty suit look like _Vogue_. Isn't it awful, Miss Joline,
that us lower classes are interested in clothes, too?"

"My dear girl, even the beautiful, the accomplished Beatrice
Joline--I'll admit it--knows when she is being teased. I went to
boarding-school, and if you think I haven't ever been properly and
thoroughly, and oh, most painstakingly told what a disgusting, natural
snob I am, you ought to have heard Tomlinson, or any other of my dear
friends, taking me down. I rather fancy you're kinder-hearted than they
are; but, anyway, you don't insult me half so scientifically."

"I'm so sorry. I tried hard-- I'm a well-meaning insulter, but I haven't
the practice."

"My dear, I adore you. Isn't it lovely to be frank? When us females get
into Mr. Truax's place we'll have the most wonderful time insulting each
other, don't you think? But, really, please don't think I like to be
rude. But you see we Jolines are so poor that if I stopped it all my
business acquaintances would think I was admitting how poor we are, so
I'm practically forced to be horrid. Now that we've been amiable to each
other, what can I do for you?... Does that sound business-like enough?"

"I want to make you give me some hints about clothes. I used to like
terribly crude colors, but I've settled down to tessie things that are
safe--this gray dress, and brown, and black."

"Well, my dear, I'm the best little dressmaker you ever saw, and I do
love to lay down the law about clothes. With your hair and complexion,
you ought to wear clear blues. Order a well-made--be sure it's
well-made, no matter what it costs. Get some clever little Jew socialist
tailor off in the outskirts of Brooklyn, or some heathenish place, and
stand over him. A well-made tailored suit of not too dark navy blue,
with matching blue crepe de Chine blouses with nice, soft, white
collars, and cuffs of crepe or chiffon--and change 'em often."

"Wh